Redemption day for maligned Rebel duo as Cork benefit from huge bench impact
It's three years this month since Shane Kingston and Conor Lehane last started a Championship game together for Cork and, who knows, it might never happen again.
The game in question was an All-Ireland quarter-final defeat to Galway. Lehane was replaced at half-time having scored a point from a free; Kingston played the whole game, scoring 1-2.
A few days later, Kingston's father Kieran stepped down as manager and in the 17 Championship games that Cork have played under Pat Ryan since, Lehane has started just four and Kingston one, against Limerick two years ago.
Kingston has been used more often off the bench having been introduced 13 times to Lehane's six, with their impact varying and rarely decisive, though Kingston's contribution against Limerick in Páirc Uí Chaoimh last year is an exception in that regard.
In Saturday's Munster final, however, they were introduced within minutes of each other, towards the end of normal time, and were huge factors in Cork's victory.
Kingston shot 0-3 from play while Lehane hit 0-2 and was fouled for a free that was converted. Both then scored penalties in Cork's dramatic 3-2 shootout win.
Lehane was dropped from the Cork panel for the 2021 season and while he was back the following year and has remained involved ever since, he's been on the margins and, like Kingston, often much maligned.
So, the last few years have been frustrating.
'Ah yeah it has,' he admits. 'Sure look, that's the nature of the game. You wouldn't be involved unless you didn't know that going into it.
'I have no issue. With the talent that's there, representing Cork the best way they know how. They've done themselves justice numerous times. It's healthy competition.
'Just try stay as patient as you can and avoid injury if possible. When the chances come, then just be as tuned in as you can and try and make some sort of impact.'
Lehane is one of a dwindling number of survivors from Cork's previous Munster title in 2018 and, on a personal level, to win another seven years later while playing a central role, having been on and off the panel, was sweet.
'Ah definitely,' said the 32-year-old. 'Sure you want to make a positive impact for everyone and you want to have some sort of impact for yourself. In the overall scheme of things, this is where it matters. Just seeing the crowd there and the reaction, it's just worth everything.'
As good as Kingston was, he wasn't quite as impactful this time as in the 2021 All-Ireland semi-final win over Kilkenny, when he hit a whopping 0-7 off the bench.
"I was actually wearing the same number (23) so it's becoming a bit of a thing now,' said the Douglas man. 'Any day you're not in the starting 15 is obviously disappointing.
'The management put out their best team on any given day, so you just have to stop feeling sorry for yourself and focus on getting the best out of yourself if you're fortunate to be called upon.
"I suppose it's nothing I'm not used to at this stage. It's just about coming on and running relentlessly, hoping you get on that ball.
'For the first five, 10 minutes I didn't touch anything and then I got a ball in from Robbie [O'Flynn] and I just said I'd take it on because the boys were after playing 65, 70 minutes so I knew they'd be tired."
And the penalties?
'If I wasn't playing well I probably would have been a bit more hesitant hitting it,' Kingston explained.
'But confidence was high at the time. As soon as I knew I was hitting one, I just focused on scoring it. I just got the pick and it went in then."
'It went down to the wire in the best way possible,' said Lehane. 'You'd rather not be in too many of those situations. But when it comes out the better end for you, it's the best feeling in the world.'
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After they lost the 2022 curtain-raiser to Galway, the rebel hordes emptied Semple Stadium. After they beat Dublin in the curtain-raiser last year, the red wave just swept out of Thurles like a tide washing out to sea. Having the games early on a Saturday afternoon twice in the last three years certainly didn't help, but I have long felt that the double-header just doesn't work and that there should be standalone fixtures. Circumstances have dictated as much now, which I think will certainly make a difference around the atmosphere and appeal of the matches. The Dubs may be part of a double-header with the footballers but at least they'll get a decent crowd in early, while Limerick will arrive to the capital in enough numbers to make it feel like an occasion. I'm glad that Galway-Tipp is in Limerick but I'd have preferred if it was on in Ennis – and not just out of comfort for me. 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Galway were a joke in their opening game in Nowlan Park and, while they recovered well in their next four matches, they were back to their old bad habits in the Leinster final. Aside from a seven or eight minute burst late on, Kilkenny rode roughshod over them. Galway need to cut loose again now because I'd be fairly confident that Tipp will. They're back in a quarter-final when a lot of people – including their own – wouldn't have expected Tipp to have reached this stage at the outset of the championship. They have improved as the championship has gone on, but I also think they're in a far better physical – and mental – state than they were when Tipp were last on this stage in 2023. That year, their form was slowly draining away as the championship progressed and they effectively bottomed out against Galway that afternoon in Limerick. I'm not sure if all the older brigade had bought into the Liam Cahill project in that first year whereas this is definitely Cahill's team now. Tipp almost seemed stuck in neutral on that mid-June evening in 2023 whereas this is a team on the move now. This has all the makings of a cracker but I really think it's down to Galway to make sure that it is. Is there enough badness in them to win a game like this? Everybody is already talking about Cork and Tipp in the semi-final. That's dangerous talk for Tipp but it's music to Galway's ears. Tipp have to block out all that outside noise. They're capable of beating any team on any given day, but can they step up and take down a Galway team now that, on paper, they are better than? I just think that you can trust Tipp more so I fancy them by about three points. When the option of going to Croke Park to take on Dublin was put to Limerick, I'm sure it wasn't even a discussion for John Kiely. As well as Limerick loving the venue, only losing there under Kiely in championship for the second time last year, it's also an ideal opportunity for Limerick to flush that bad memory out of their system before stretching their legs at Headquarters ahead of an expected match-up there with Kilkenny in two weeks. Limerick are too professional to be looking that far down the tracks without focusing on the job in hand, but I can't see Dublin being able to contain a wounded animal hell-bent on retribution since the Munster final defeat. Losing that game on penalties again underlined just how hard Limerick are to beat and, aside from the deficit in physicality and hurling ability, I don't think Dublin can be in the right frame of mind to take down Limerick either. If they had beaten one of Galway or Kilkenny in Leinster, it would have at least given them the confidence to think that they can live with Limerick. But I can't see it. Limerick won't be concerned about putting on a show. 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