Former All-Ireland winning captain Anthony Daly says that Cork are now favourites for the championship after sealing their first league title in 27 years.
Pat Ryan’s side dispatched Tipperary by 10 points in Sunday’s decider, easing off in the second half after burying three first-half goals to build an unassailable lead at the interval.
Ominously, last year’s All-Ireland finalists have scored 13 goals in their last three games and conceded none.
Cork are seeking to end their longest famine in Liam MacCarthy history with no title since 2005, but Daly reckons they are looking like the most compelling candidates.
“I presume Brian Lohan is sitting at home today thinking, ‘how are we going to stop this juggernaut?'” Daly said, looking ahead to the Munster SHC round-robin opener in Cusack Park between Clare and Cork.
“Six goals, four goals, then three goals today, and (they) eased up nearly in the second half. They’re (Cork) the favourites now.
“It’s hard to believe – even with Clare winning last year – because we would have said Limerick, with a year off (would have been favourites).
“But now Cork are the favourites.”
Former Cork goalkeeper Donal Óg Cusack broke the Liam MacCarthy race into three tiers, with last year’s top three in Munster occupying the top tier on their own.
“I think it’s Limerick, it’s Cork, it’s Clare. I think there’s an asterisk over Clare to a certain degree with Shane O’Donnell. He’s such an influence, at some stage here they’re going to need him back.
“If you look at the next tier below them, Kilkenny are going to be very interesting this year. They weren’t that far off Clare last year. It’s a long time since they won an All-Ireland Championship.
“Tipp are probably at the same level. Galway – I know we saw them the last day against Cork and they were very poor but I do think if there was that second tier, it would be those teams.”
