ENDING Cork’s 13-year wait for Munster senior football championship glory is a priority for Brian Hurley, but the Rebels captain isn’t looking beyond their provincial opener against Limerick.
The Castlehaven sharpshooter made his senior inter-county debut in 2013, the season after Cork last won the Munster SFC title. Since then the Rebels have lost eight provincial finals and have not reached the Munster decider since 2021 – and Hurley (32) wants to fire Cork back to the summit.
‘It has to be a priority every year,’ the Cork captain said at the Munster championship launch this week.
‘The last few years haven't been where we wanted them to be,’ he admitted.
‘We have a few fellas to come back, and myself and a few of the older lads to step up, so hopefully we can kick it off on Saturday week.’
Cork travel to the Gaelic Grounds to face Limerick in a Munster SFC quarter-final on April 5th, with the winner advancing to a showdown with Kerry on April 19th. While Cork will be expected to set up a clash with old rivals Kerry, Hurley won’t look beyond a Limerick team that has won promotion from Division 4 and has a league final this Saturday evening.
‘I made my debut against Limerick in 2013 and it was one of the toughest games I played. It’s not an easy place go, and the way they are playing at the minute and they have another game this weekend in Croke Park – they’ll be dangerous on Saturday week,’ warned Hurley, who started Cork’s final two Division 2 games, wins against Louth and Cavan that pushed the Rebels away from the relegation scrap.
‘It was a good finish to the league, but that would be parked now and our next task is Limerick on Saturday week. A bit of confidence, but hopefully more to come as well,’ added Hurley who believes Cork have a stronger panel to choose from now given how many young players were handed their opportunity in the league.
‘What pleased me most is we gave young fellas a chance and they stepped up to it. We have a few injuries at the minute, people yet to come back and other fellas took their chances when they got them – hopefully that will stand to us later in the championship,’ said Hurley.
A boost to Cork ahead of the Munster campaign is that Maurice Shanley, Sean Meehan and Sean Powter will return to training this week.
