Current U21 crop capable of more – Evening Echo Cork

TONIGHT
Munster U21 semi-final: Limerick v Cork, Gaelic Grounds, 7.30pm.
WHEN Cork last met Limerick at U21 level, they won comfortably by eight points and pushed on to lift All-Ireland honours.
Not only that, Ken O’Halloran, Ray Carey, Michael Shields, Eoin Cadogan, Fintan Goold, Daniel Goulding, Paul Kerrigan and Colm O’Neill, graduated from the 2007 U21 crop to establish themselves at senior level.
The ‘07 U21 captain Andrew O’Sullivan — who was actually absent for the Limerick tie that year — has also made a push over the league in recent weeks. Can the current U21s replicate the class of 2007?
Well they’ll certainly defeat Limerick tonight, but for All-Ireland glory they’ll need a significant improvement on their opening round display against Kerry two weeks ago.
And of course it’s highly unlikely that as many of these young guns will progress to senior as the ‘07 team did.
Though Cork had a far more talented team available than Kerry, they ended up needing a last-gasp point from sub Seán Kiely with his first play to snatch a victory. The Rebels showed impressive composure in the closing stages to prevail, because their rivals had all the momentum and quality possession, given their dominance on kick-outs.
John Cleary and his selectors have a midfield issue, and though named the other way around, they may switch captain Damien Cahalane and Thomas Clancy before throw-in. The problem is that senior duo are both more suited to half-back, where they play their club football for Castlehaven and Clon respectively.
The Barrs’ towering midfielder Ian Maguire had a good first half in Páirc Ui Rinn two weeks ago, and Cork need him to lord the skies from here on, even if he is one of the youngest starters in the selection.
The concern is that when the core of this team were minors in 2010, when they lost the All-Ireland final to Tyrone, they never had a settled midfield.
If any management can overcome a midfield issue though it’s Cleary and co. They utilised the unorthodox pairing of Chris O’Donovan, in a spoiler role, and Kevin O’Driscoll, as a runner, in capturing the 2009 All-Ireland, with Aidan Walsh at number six.
Since the one-point defeat of the Kingdom, Cork have been working on shoring up a rearguard that coughed up two goals. There’s three extremely talented footballers in the full-back department, but all three prefer to be further out the field.
What’s unquestionable is Cork have dazzling inside forwards. In 2007 Colm O’Neill and Goulding were the attacking spearheads, with O’Neill and David Goold delivering two years later.
Brian Hurley and Dan Mac Eoin are as menacing as those pairings, and we should see them pull on senior jerseys, if not this season, then in 2014. Hurley hit 0-4 from play against Kerry and then 1-25 in his past two U21 club games for the Haven.
Mac Eoin — U21 again next year — has got into the best shape of his life, and the Ilen powerhouse was quick and direct against Kerry.
Cork were over-reliant on Mac Eoin and Hurley in the first round, but I suspect there’s more in the likes of Luke Connolly, Alan Cadogan and, especially, John O’Rourke. Centre-forward Mark Sugrue has shown up well in challenge matches and hopefully he’ll transfer that to tonight’s Munster semi-final.
If anyone underperforms Kevin Hallissey and Seán Kiely are viable alternatives from the bench.
Limerick are managed by Cork native Tom McGlinchey, who was Limerick’s minor coach for the previous two years, and guided Tipp to the 2002 senior Munster final, when they should have won.
Despite home advantage, the bookies certainly expect another Rebel victory — making the Leesiders the hottest of 1/25 favourites, with Limerick available at 10/1.

Limerick have only landed one Munster title at U21 level, 13 years ago, but can call on five members of their senior panel tonight: full-back and captain James O’Meara, centre-back Iain Corbett, midfielder Darragh Treacy, wing-forward Sean Sheahan and corner-forward Danny Neville.
The winners of the Tipp-Clare semi-final await in the final.
Verdict: Cork.

CORK (v Limerick): D Hanrahan (Douglas); B O’Driscoll (Tadhg Mac Cárthaigh), C Dorman (Bishopstown), A Cronin (Nemo); TJ Brosnan (Newmarket), D Cahalane (Castlehaven, c), J Wall (Kilbrittain); T Clancy (Clonakilty), I Maguire (St Finbarr’s); A Cadogan (Douglas), M Sugrue (Bandon), J O’Rourke (Carbery Rangers); D Mac Eoin (Ilen Rovers), B Hurley (Castlehaven), L Connolly (Nemo).
Subs: P Kirby (Tadhg Mac Cárthaigh), C O’Sullivan (Clyda Rovers), K Crowley (Millstreet), K Fulignati (Nemo Rangers), S Kiely (Ballincollig), J Burns (St Finbarrs), K Hallissey (Éire Óg), C Vaughan (Iveleary), T Hegarty (O’Donovan Rossa).