‘The World Cup was great but hurling has owned the summer’

Three-time All Star Ken McGrath has said that hurling has 'owned the summer' following Limerick's exhilarating extra-time win over Cork in Sunday's All-Ireland semi-final in Croke Park.

Extra-time goals from Shane Dowling and Pat Ryan put Limerick into their first All-Ireland final since 2007 and capped off a remarkable weekend of hurling after Galway and Clare played out a classic in the first semi-final at headquarters on Saturday. The revamp of the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship this year has proved to be a big success this season and McGrath said that this year's championship has been better than the FIFA World Cup.

"It was a privilege to be in Croke Park, I'm wrecked and I'm only after watching the last two games," said McGrath on The Sunday Game. "It was as good as entertainment as I've ever seen in sport. The World Cup was brilliant but hurling is after owning the summer. I've just think the two games have been such an advertisement for the game. "It was unbelievable today, it felt like a final at times but for them [Limerick] to dig it out and go on to score 41 points is incredible."

Former Cork player and manager Donal O'Grady said that Cork will be disappointed at the result but that Limerick's ability to bring suitable players off the bench was ultimately the difference between the two sides.

"We heard a lot of talk about how strong is Cork's bench and I think that was the difference in the end," said O'Grady. "Limerick can spring like for like. They can withdraw one player and they have a similar type of player. "With Cork, once Daniel Kearney went with 10 minutes to go, Darragh Fitzgibbon as well, two huge players, [Seamus] Harnedy had to go off, he was injured last week or the week before, and Cork didn't have like for like replacements and I think that was a factor in it."