Mostly Hurling:It's almost impossible to visualise Limerick coming close to the Leesiders in Sunday's Munster semi-final, writes JOHN ALLEN

IT IS tea-time on a Sunday evening in early July four years ago. Cork have beaten Tipperary in their second Munster final in a row. They had played in the previous two as well, sharing the spoils with Waterford. The team is back in the Anner Hotel. The walk from Semple Stadium which should take half an hour has taken some of the players almost two hours. There are a lot of pubs to call to on the way and the players’ form is good.

Back in the hotel dining area the scene, however, resembles that of a post-funeral gathering. It’s staid and quite sombre. Familiarity can do that in the case of a team that has the winning habit. A team on the way to three All-Ireland titles in a row develops a confidence that only comes with winning. This team had this. Not arrogance, just a sense of self-belief. Two months later as Kilkenny’s Jackie Tyrrell collects the Liam MacCarthy that belief is shaken, well-shaken.

On that September Sunday evening, the dressing area is silent. Players sit almost dumbstruck. The dream is over.

Later that night the word is out from on high that it’s time for a change. Thirteen championship games won in a row, but it’s not a good enough return, apparently. So bring on the change, they say.

Could we have foreseen the fall-out for that “much-needed change”?

It’s late June 2010. It’s taken four years, but it seems like the change is paying off at last. It looks like a Munster final appearance is imminent for Cork. The fans have stayed loyal, waiting for the day when Cork would again play in a provincial final.

This one will be appreciated. The Sunday Game analysts are expecting a good final.

Limerick stand in the breach, though. They stood there as well in 2006 and nearly caused a major upset. But it’s almost impossible to visualise them coming close to the Leesiders on Sunday.

The Shannonsiders are now experiencing their own much-needed change and we’ll witness the results on Sunday.

Cork, of course, will find it difficult to reach the heights they reached against Tipperary. They should get to the Munster final though, on the strength of a what the newspapers will call “a mediocre performance against a gallant Limerick”, who really are on the road to nowhere (Division Three could be the next stop) unless their differences are settled.

All-Ireland champions Kilkenny must be a little jaded of winning Leinster titles.Theyre over 40 ahead of their nearest rivals, Dublin, who haven’t won one since 1961. What confidence they must have. Kilkenny are always on the shortlist for final glory. This present team is on the cusp of immortality. They can already be called great. But do they appreciate winning Leinster titles? Well, from the lack of hysterics on previous victorious final days I’d say not.

This year they can achieve unequalled greatness in four steps. Step one on Sunday will reveal their current stage of readiness. Their league form was a little indifferent. In championship, over the past five years, this team hasn’t done indifference.

Dublin have nothing to lose. Last year, for a while, they were being touted as potential contenders. So far second season syndrome has been difficult for them to overcome. They were well-prepared last year when the sides met. They had a plan and they held out for an hour. This season they don’t look like being able to produce a repeat performance. But with Anthony Daly in their corner they won’t be without a plan and they won’t go down easily.

Teams are now standing up to Kilkenny’s very physical approach and Dublin will be expected to do the same. I would also expect to see Dublin probably play a sweeper in a game that will be ferociously contested for as long as Dublin can maintain that ferocity but Kilkenny should pull away in the last quarter as they did last year.

Galway are currently wearing the “great white hopefuls” mantle. They seem to have a steeliness in their play this year that is often absent when the pressure comes on. Most of their younger players don’t fear any of the other counties, Kilkenny included. They have won underage titles beating all and sundry along the way. On Sunday they should have the ideal preparation for their eagerly awaited tilt with the All-Ireland champions.

Offaly, with a full-strength side, were unimpressive last weekend against a weakened Cork team in a friendly in Páirc Uí Chaoimh. They also made very hard work of beating Antrim in their opening Leinster championship game.

However, as we’ve seen many times down through the years, Offaly are best when the stakes are highest. Like Dublin, they don’t have anything to lose on Sunday. All the pressure is on Galway. John McIntyre’s side, at this stage, must realise they need to get a much better scoring return for the possession they seem to be able to win rather easily.

They have so often dominated games and lost or come in as hot favourites and lost. Then when least expected they pull a master performance out of the bag.

But now we expect it. So with the pressure on it’s time to deliver. But psychologically an adequate performance would be the best for them. Then they would go into the Leinster final as underdogs with a bit of a mountain to climb.