Cork have not been limited by any suspensions going into their Allianz Hurling League final with Tipperary this Sunday but will be wary of the consequences of dismissals going forward.
The Munster Championship is looming large for both teams with their League duties set to be wrapped up after their meeting at Páirc Uí Chaoimh this weekend.
Cork are hunting a first League win since 1998 while Liam Cahill's resurgent Tipperary - who beat Cork at Semple Stadium in February - are in the midst of a 17-year drought.
Red cards have been a prominent theme of 2025, with 14-man Cork notably thrashing 13-man Clare in a repeat fixture of the 2024 All-Ireland final just weeks ago.
That same weekend saw four red cards brandished in Kilkenny while Cork's Deccie Dalton was dismissed against Wexford when the sides met in their competition opener.
Cork boss Pat Ryan shares concern over referees
Cork manager Pat Ryan has urged referees not to jump the gun when handing out red cards in the impending All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship, given the consequences suspensions will carry for players and teams alike.
Ryan spoke to the Irish Examiner - which you can read in full here - about the issue which could potentially blight his side when the tournament gets underway later this month.
While stressing his belief there is no 'skullduggery' within the GAA regarding the issue, he voiced his concerns about the nature of some of the red cards he has seen this season.
Obviously we’re coming into championship now and if a fella gets sent off at the weekend, he’s going to miss a championship match," he told the Irish Examiner.
“In an amateur sport, we just have to be careful when we’re sending off people when we’re not 100% sure.
"There is a lot of pressure on the referees... but a lot of the incidents that we’ve seen has been careless timing and some of them have been very innocuous."
Cork have already successfully appealed on dismissal this season after Cormac O'Brien was harshly sent off during their hammering of Clare last weekend.
They will have home comforts when they battle Tipperary in Cork this weekend and a win would provide the ideal springboard into the 2025 Munster Championship.
They will be without star forward Brian Hayes however, as he continues his recovery from a knee injury he sustained against Galway.
