Kilkenny legend issues ominous warning to Cork after heavy defeat

He feels Cork "weren't up to the level" in that defeat

The Rebels struggled immensely in the first-half, and found themselves 15 points behind as the Treaty led 2-18 to 0-09 at half-time.

Cork were a better side at the beginning of the second-half, but John Kiely's team eventually retook control of the game and extended their winning margin to 16 points by full-time. It was a margin that matches their dominant win over Cork, in their 2021 All-Ireland showdown in Croke Park.

Kilkenny legend Eddie Brennan feels it'd be "wrong to write off Cork’s chances" based on this showing. He acknowledged, however, "that the manner of this defeat is a worry", and issued an ominous warning ahead of Sunday's winner-takes-all clash against Waterford.

Brennan said: "The worry for Cork is that when the real war was thrown at them, they weren’t up to the level, and I’m talking the difference of a few percent – more than enough to get skinned by a side of Limerick’s quality."

He added: "Pat Ryan’s troops will have to get this swiftly out of their minds. If they’re less than 100pc on Sunday, Waterford will end their summer.

"Waterford did a job on Tipperary but this weekend, they have everything on the line and will be dangerous."

A victory against the Déise will put Cork into their first provincial final since 2018.