Cork GAA Discussion Thread

A report in the paper from Tuesday nights Challenge Match.
Galway 3-15 Cork 0-22

CORK hurlers made full use of their squad in a challenge game with Galway at Mallow last night, but it was the Westerners who prevailed at the end of a contest that never reached any great heights. Galway too were in experimental mode, emptying their bench throughout the course of the 70 minutes, although Joe Canning remained track-suited throughout. The Cork management will have been pleased enough with the return from the team in the opening 35 minutes but thereafter, with the introduction of a large number of substitutes, the shape of the side was a bit fragmented and three second-half goals from the reigning Leinster champions paved the way for their two-point victory.

Both sides were well into double figures with their final ball and the shooting was very poor at times. Cork carried no real goal threat and they had only one shot on target when wing-forward Michael O’Sullivan was denied by a superb save from Galway keeper James Skehill in the opening half.

Michael Cussen was handed the number 14 jersey and he was on the board inside 30 seconds with a point which was followed by another a few minutes later. However, that was the last time he registered on the scoresheet in a position that is still causing headaches for the Rebels. Seamus Harnedy claimed two fine first-half points as well, but Cork’s standout player in the opening 35 minutes was midfielder Lorcán McLoughlin who rifled over three excellent points. Stephen Moylan and Peter O’Brien tacked on two decent points too in that period. William Egan, Steven McDonnell and Tom Kenny showed up well in that half for the home team who lost defender Colm Spillane very early with an ankle injury. Galway were very reliant on centre-forward Niall Burke for scores from placed balls and he scored five of their seven-point tally with Johnny Glynn and Davy Glennon the only other contributors as Cork led at the break by five points, 0-12 to 0-7.

Cork maintained their advantage for the opening sequences of the second-half with sub Adrian Mannix getting in on the scoring act with a point. However, their period in the ascendency was abruptly halted in the next few minutes as Conor Cooney and sub Aengus Callanan belted in a brace of Galway goals. To be fair, Cork responded well to those setbacks and points from O’Brien, Steven White and Mannix again had it all tied up at 2-10 to 0-16. But Galway were shortly on the goals trail again when Callanan got in for his second and his side’s third and Cork found themselves playing catch-up again. They had an opportunity to regain the advantage, but a Cian McCarthy penalty was deflected over the crossbar in the 55th minute.

At this juncture it was difficult to keep tabs on the number of subs being introduced but two of Cork’s, Conor Lehane and Patrick Horgan levelled it all up with the clock beginning to count down. However, it was Galway who were the more enterprising side in the closing minutes and three unanswered points from Niall Burke, Padraigh Breheny and Bernard Burke put them firmly on the road to victory. Cork had the last say with a point from Lehane, but it was Galway’s night in a contest that really didn’t reveal too much and that, for the most part, was very low key.

Those outside the more established names, particularly those challenging for places in the Cork attack didn’t really do enough here to press their claims and it will have to be on the training ground now if they are going to force the selectors’ hands. In the end, on a sun-kissed night in the splendid Mallow complex it was what it was, a challenge game with the stats for the second-half telling the tale, Cork being outscored by 3-8 to 0-10.

Scorers for Galway: N Burke 0-8 (0-6 f, 0-1 65), A Callanan 2-0, C Cooney 1-2, B Burke 0-2, J Glynn, P Breheny, D Glennon 0-1 each.

Cork: L McLoughlin 0-3, J Coughlan 0-2 (f), M Cussen, S Harnedy, A Mannix, C Lehane 0-2 each, P O’Brien 0-2 (0-1 f), R O’Shea (f), W Egan (65), C McCarthy (pen), S White, C M O’Sullivan, P Horgan, S Moylan 0-1 each.

GALWAY: J Skehill, F Moore, S Kavanagh, J Coen, J Grealish, K Hynes, N O’Donoghue, I Tannian, A Harte, D Burke, N Burke, C Donnellan, D Glennon, C Cooney, D Hayes. Subs used: B Flaherty, J Glynn, A Smith, B Burke, P Breheny, T Haran, C Callanan.

CORK: A Nash, C Spillane, S McDonnell, C O’Sullivan, T Kenny, M Ellis, W Egan, R O’Shea, L McLoughlin, S Harnedy, P O’Brien, M O’Sullivan, J Coughlan, M Cussen, S Moylan. Subs: D McCarthy for Nash, M Walsh for C O’Sullivan, C Joyce for O’Shea, S White for McLoughlin, B Hartnett for Moylan, A Mannix for Coughlan, C McCarthy for Harnedy, P Horgan for O’Brien. Referee S Hourigan (Limerick).  

ShamoBuc wrote: »

...and he scores the first try after 15mins!

Just started watching the end of it.Another try, he showed great skill,pace,and confidence.He made the try himself,almost out of nothing.
I'm delighted for him.He would have won an all star with Cork,I have no doubt,if he had stayed at the hurling .

Thinkstoomuch wrote: »

According to the Echo tonight,Cronin is all set to miss the clare game.
He is still in hospital with pneuomina.

I can't help but feel that this is just another piece of evidence to add to my theory that Davy Fitz is indeed the most fortunate manager in the history of the GAA. Incredible.

Hidalgo wrote: »

He (and Clare) will be fair lucky if Cronin is out, biggest loss for Cork in the front 8 anyway.

I couldn't see ye losing in that scenario. I would have been talking to people and agreed that Cork are beautifully poised for an ambush with the talk amongst Clare and Limerick folk of a final between those two counties, but really with O'Sullivan gone and now possibly Cronin I just couldn't see them being good enough to win.

That coupled with the fact that I firmly believe in their being no substitute for having a championship game (and win) to your name against a team who are just coming into their first. It's been evident in the four teams that have played to date that their was rustiness in their play on account of the layoff from the league and that the league is not an equal substitute for championship hurling.

Surely Clare won't be complacent either, having only won their first Munster championship game since 2008 two weeks ago, but that said believing that would probably be falling straight into the trap. And Cronin being ruled out probably wouldn't aid keeping the players feet on the ground, even if it made their task easier.

mr bungle. wrote: »

Everyday seems to bring more bad news ,we will be doing well to field a team by the time match day comes around,,a lot of pressure on cussen to deliver

The last thing we need now is it to pour out of the heavens.JBM view is speed is the only way to go.He wants Cork like greyhounds.
You need another option though if your studs are stuck to the ground.This is not like horse racing where you can pull out if the going is heavy ,and pick and choose your race to suit only your strengths.

mr bungle. wrote: »

don't quote me but I think the weather is meant to be monsoon like for the weekend,

Game is not this weekend,but sunday week.I"ll start praying at this stage .

Tom Kenny at midfield would be a huge risk.He was put at half back as JBM knew he has not the pace to cover the ground anymore.Morey would be way too fast for him.

I would rather see Mcdonnell,or Shane O Neill there now.Clare have huge pace in that aera.
Michael O Sullivan ,would be a better option in the forwards,than what is remaining.He is erratic at times,a work in progress,but has a great engine and will do the donkey work.He should have got game time in the league but did not.

When you see what James Ryan done for Limerick last week in a similar role,O Sullivan could do the same over time.
I wouldnt start him full forward though,hes shooting is hit and miss.

If JBM wants a target man Harnedy would be a much better option at Full forward than whats remaining.O Sullivan can play midfield also,but when Cork need fast ball,he would not suit that style.

Yes it is expecting a lot from these guys to just make their debuts and deliver but at this stage Id rather loose and try new players out,and hopefully learn something new,than go with players that have been tried and trusted and failed in too many games for Cork in the past.

I thought it bad when we we went to thurles in 07 missing 3 key players for the munster championship game against Waterford.But nothing like now.At least we had a core of battle hardened expierenced players still in the team.
This has to be the most depeleted Cork squad on hurling in recent times with injuries.

Hidalgo wrote: »

If its an open game, Tom Kenny at midfield would suit Clare, lads like Kelly, Galvin and Morey would have him for pace.

Is McDonnell the fella that played Full Back in the past, Steven?
He would bring a lot of speed, remember him marking Mullane and having the burst of pace to get out in front.[/quote
yeah that is him.He is full of pace.A fine corner back or could be ideal at midfield in the clare game.He is strong on the ball and is not short of hurling.
A good man marker but no where near a full back.The management team treated him terribly last year.
He would be ideal as a defensive midfielder in the sense he could pick Kelly up when he roams out.

He has played their for club and minor for Cork.He would be much better than Kenny as a stop gap for next week.He is physically strong also ,which is welcomed.
It would be a nice balance in the middle with Kearney.I'd say JBM will go with kenny.
And Stephen White is almost certain to start at wing back now.Having one of Kenny and White was bad,but now having both starting,we could be seriously over run.
This is going to put huge pressure on Egan and Joyce at half back and could make them look worse than they actually are.

On the paper today,the Cork team that won the Munster hurling title in 2006 were never presented with their Munster Medals.It was up to the Cork County board to organise and they never did.
Same old story.Doesn't suprise me in the slightest,just as why Cork Hurling is in a crisis at the moment and their is not even a blink of an eye about it.
All concern is about the new stadium though.

Deco99 wrote: »

1. Cahalane is not a corner back.
2. Canty is too slow on ball Centre back.
3. These games are waste of time.
4. If Cork beat Kerry but learn no lessons, it will be a short summer.
5. If Cork lose to Kerry but realise the few obvious errors and maybe some not so obvious, it could be a long hot summer.
6. I hate those "animals" too much to ever actually want to lose to them, therefore close win followed by surgeons scalpel here and there. I am ignoring this weekends game as its worse than a training session.

Id agree with Points 1,2,and 4.
I would not go so far as saying the game is a complete waste of time yet.
If it was in Cork or Limerick ,then a whitewash would be expected.
The fact it is in Ennis is good news for us.

No Cork team has ever at any grade been comfortable in Ennis down the years.
The U21 team lost an aireland to Mayo in 06 there with a few players like Cadogan,Shields,and Gould involved.

In 2011 we lost an U21 semifinal to Galway here.Cahalane,O Rourke,Hurley,Walsh,Clancy,and Collins and O driscoll were involved.
In 97 clare beat us in Ennis in the Senior.

The ptich is so small and confined with a good home crowd can make it a hostile atmosphere at times.Such is that reason ,that CC brought Cork to Ennis last weekend to train.A lot of these guys have not the best memories down there.

I have seen in Hurling with Clare many a time,where the crowd in Ennis has spurred them on to unexpected victories.
This is good for Cork,mainly the younger players.Take them outside their comfort zone.I do not in any way expect Cork to loose,but id say if Clare put in a perferomance which I hope they do,Cork will have to grind a win out.
Ideal prepartion for Killarney.
It is meant to be very windy and heavy rain is due,and in a place like Clare they will be well exposed to the elements.

It will be better than training down the Pairc in that regard.Added to the fact Micko,will have Clare beliving in themselves and he knows Cork inside out,they could test Cork.
I agree a 20 point hammering of Clare is no good to us.I dont think we will hammer them.

Cahalane's best position is half back.But with Jamie Sul out still he is the best option.Id rather see Cahalane out of position than John Mcloghlin or Kissane start corner back.

Kissane will probably start corner back instead of Cadogan though.Cadogan might not be recovered from hes injury yet.Id prefer Noel O Leary.
I wouldnt be suprised to see Canty at midfield.I agree he is not able for CB now.As a holding midfielder with Walsh he could be fine.He's role would be to defend.And as soon as he gets it,lay it off to someone who can kick the ball long as he cant do that.
He is still the heartbeat of this team in other aeras,so they will start him.

He is ideal if we have a lead,and you want to slow the game though.
Alan O Connor and Pearse O Neill are too ponderous on the ball.
They know only one route,run straight and through the centre.Old habits die hard.They have been good servants for Cork but know how to only play one type of game.

As impact subs,they have a role,but gone are the days where they can hope to play a Jamie Roberts role,barge through a walls of bodies and find a way through.It is vital if Cork are to win,Counihan takes a back seat role in terms of tactics.

Cork have to win in Killarney.They have not won since 1995,and if we cant beat Kerry in Killarney their is a slim chance we will beat them if meet them in Croke Park.

JBM confirmed Lorchan Mcloughlin is definetly out for next week.
He will be out for the next 3 weeks.