Tipperary will be without the suspended Kevin Fox for the clash with Cork. PHOTO: BRIDGET DELANEY

Stakes are high for Cork visit

By Shane Brophy & Coilin Duffy

 

TIPPERARY v CORK

Semple Stadium, Thurles

Sunday 3rd March

Throw-in @ 7.00pm

Referee: Fergal Smyth (Offaly)

 

Tipperary can take a giant step towards playing division 2 league football once more in 2020 when they welcome Cork to Thurles on Saturday night for what is a pivotal round 5 game.

It is not quite in the must win bracket for Tipperary but they can take a lot of pressure off themselves in the remaining two games by heaping further misery on a Cork side that have lost three games on the bounce and are nearing a first ever stint in division 3.

However, Cork are virtually in the last chance saloon and despite all the negativity that surrounds football in the Rebel county, their backs are to the wall and in that mood are more than capable of coming out fighting and claiming a win at Semple Stadium.

They can point to their last visit to the Thurles venue last May when they produced a dominant performance to defeat Tipperary 1-17 to 0-9 in the Munster championship, their last win of an consequence in league or championship.

However, they will feel Tipperary are vulnerable next Saturday night, not just because of the defeat to Armagh but with the Premier County's growing list of unavailable players which was added to by injuries to Kevin O'Halloran and Paul Maher.

We'll just assess the injuries and we'll see who can play and who can't,” said manager Liam Kearns following the loss to Armagh.

There's nothing we can do, that's the position we are in. We are going to have to do our best it's as simple as that.

"The Cork game is an important game and we are just down so many players now it's very, very difficult. Look that's the way it is, that's the hand we have been dealt with, and that's the way we are going to have to play it.”

 

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