MÍCHEÁL Ó Cróinín doesn’t hide the fact that Cork are determined to end the county’s long wait for a Munster SFC title, but it’s one step at a time.
The Rebels haven’t lifted the provincial football cup since 2012, and the journey to ending the wait starts with a Munster SFC quarter-final away to Limerick in the Gaelic Grounds on Saturday evening (6pm).
As a word of caution, the Treaty County led Cork at half-time in last year’s provincial tie before the Rebels came back to win, while Limerick also won the Division 4 title against Wexford last Saturday (3-11 to 0-18). Cork coach Mícheál Ó Cróinín is wary of the challenge posed by a Limerick team with nothing to lose.
‘Limerick are always tough opposition away from home. You take nothing for granted. They played in Croke Park last Saturday, we didn’t,’ Ó Cróinín explained.
‘Jimmy (Lee) has come in and done a really good job with them. He has steadied the ship and anytime you get promotion there is a feel-good factor in the squad, getting a bit of a chance for some silverware.
‘League rolls into the championship very quickly. We have to get ready for it. We have to get the bodies ready for it and go out and perform to our best. Hopefully everything else takes care of itself.’
Winning Munster is a big target for a success-starved Cork, insists Ó Cróinín, but if John Cleary’s men jump the first hurdle, it’s provincial kingpins Kerry waiting in the semi-final.
‘We’re putting a big emphasis on it (winning Munster),’ Ó Cróinín added.
‘You love to win Munster silverware and you’d love to win other national silverware. There are only three competitions on the go for you. Obviously, the Sam Maguire is the hardest one of all to win but then you have Kerry in Munster which is extremely tough. We’ll start with Limerick and hopefully build from there and get our own momentum going.’
