What better way to get over the All-Ireland final heartbreak than to turn your attention to the big ball just a week later?
Well, that’s what the Cork players did: they dusted off their football gloves during the opening round of the club championships.
They join the likes of Wexford, Waterford, Offaly, Laois Longford, and Tipperary in starting their competition this weekend or in the past few weeks in both the big and small ball codes.
READ HERE: Galway's All-Ireland Winning Heroes Of 1998: Where Are They Now?
READ HERE: All-Ireland Final: Armagh And Galway Combined XV
Cork hurling stars return to club action just six days after All-Ireland defeat
Both Brian Hayes and Ethan Twomey came on as added-time substitutes as St Finbarr’s beat Douglas 1-10 to 0-10. Inter-county footballer Stephen Sherlock scored 1-4 for the winners, while Cork U20 hurling captain William Buckley also knocked over a point. The former Munster champions got their campaign off to the perfect start as they hope to regain their crown.
Brian Hayes finished off a brilliant team move to get the only goal of the first half
Limerick have steadied down massively since to lead Cork at the interval
pic.twitter.com/6NuR38w9F4— OurGame.ie (@OurGameHQ) July 7, 2024
Luke Meade captained his local side, Newscestown, to a 0-12 to 0-10 victory over Éire Óg, with the hurler scoring three points from play from wing-back as they marked their return to the top level of Cork club football by claiming the two points after they secured a historic double promotion in both football and hurling from Senior A last year.
Kerry is a county where All-Ireland days are expected but won’t be experienced after a shock semi-final loss. We saw a former county stalwart roll back the years to help his side claim the win. Midfielder David Moran helped Kerins O’Rahilly’s beat Laune Rangers 2-9 to 0-13 in the intermediate club championship in the completed structure that is the Kingdom.
Some people will disagree but having the 99% playing in a regular time slot in prime weather conditions, even in a bad Irish summer, proves that the split season works and shouldn’t be tampered with by extending the 1% championship by another few weeks.
SEE ALSO: Marc Ó Sé On The Player Of The Year Candidates Ahead Of Sunday's Final
