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Cork GAA Discussion Thread

Just thought I'd make a thread on Cork GAA seeing as noone else has made one already. Feel free to talk about anything about Cork GAA, especially hurling and especially the Senior Hurling Championship.

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According to Denis Hurley,from the Eveing Echo,Pa Cronin,was taken to hospital,after being taken off for Bishopstown.
It is just meant to be a precaution,he was suffering from pneuomina.
Lets hope he is fully fit for 3 weeks time.
It would be an absoulte dissaster,if our main ball winner was out for that game.

Thinkstoomuch wrote: »

Clare it is,as most expected it would be,in the semi final.
It is going to be a huge ask for Cork to win.The Clare half back line as they have done against us twice,controlled the second half.
Thats where our problems will start.Our weakest line,no ball winners ,if Cronin is midfield,we will be starved of possession in our full forward line.As lethal as it can be it needs a supply of ball.
Paudie Sullivan ,a man for the big games is a huge loss.
Our defence will be under immense pressure,due to Clare launching attack after attack on our defence.
Clare proved that if youre good enough your age doesnt matter,and youth is the way to go.They never panic,when their behind,and after getting their first win in 5 years,they will get better.The fact they handled the favourites tag will help them for our game.
For Cork to have any chance,they got to pick players that will cover every blade of thurles,put and take the hits and have a massive workrate.They have the talent in the full forward line,but unless they match Clare with intensity and workrate it means nothing.JBM has to pick the right team and cant afford any passengers.If he doesnt do that,their beaten before they take the field.
When the team is picked ,we will know if we have any chance.Colm Spillane should start for starters.Clare have so much pace,Kenny or White wont do.
Unfortunately though ,i feel he will start one of them.He will also probably start Cussen.
Enough said.Galway are Corks final opponents in a challenge match in around two weeks.They picked a full strength team that drew with Tipp last week in a challenge match.I hope they pick a full strength side for our game and throw the kitchen sink at us.We need a tougher test,than what Limerick and Tipp gave us in the last two challenges matches.
Particulary the Tipp game,there defence was no where near first choice and made some of our players look better than they are.
Cork already have problems to solve,but were going in undercooked as well,which is one problem the management cant be faulted for.Luck of the draw.
We would have rathered a first round match.

The Clare HB line is one area that Cork could expose, Donnellan is very light for 6 and Bugler has a tendancy to give away silly frees and get caught in possession (how he got MOTM last Sunday is beyond me).
We do have options but it's not an area I'd see davy tinkering with. Donnellan and Morey at 5 and 7 would give some serious pace for raiding down the flanks and also bring Galvin into the game at mid-field as runners coming from deep sees him more involved.

I think the Cork HB line and midfield is weaker that Waterford's but Cork's inside line pose a far bigger threat than Waterford.

The positioning of Cronin will be crucial, as will a plan B for Cork, when he eventually tired in the relegation playoff, Cork had nothing resembling a plan for puckouts

Hidalgo wrote: »

The Clare HB line is one area that Cork could expose, Donnellan is very light for 6 and Bugler has a tendancy to give away silly frees and get caught in possession (how he got MOTM last Sunday is beyond me).
We do have options but it's not an area I'd see davy tinkering with. Donnellan and Morey at 5 and 7 would give some serious pace for raiding down the flanks and also bring Galvin into the game at mid-field as runners coming from deep sees him more involved.

I think the Cork HB line and midfield is weaker that Waterford's but Cork's inside line pose a far bigger threat than Waterford.

The positioning of Cronin will be crucial, as will a plan B for Cork, when he eventually tired in the relegation playoff, Cork had nothing resembling a plan for puckouts

That you see is where the fundamental problem lies that Cork have,we can have all the talent in the inside line,but it needs the basic component,it needs ball to survive.
Just like we need oxygen to survive,Cork forwards need ball,and plenty of it.
The Clare half back you say have weaknesses,id take your word on it as youre in a better position to judge,but the Cork half forward line thus far is unable to gain any foothold in a game,let alone expose a team.
Cronin is no problem,the problem is he is always double marked at best,sometimes there is 3 lads hanging off him,that no matter how good he is,he cant consisently win puckouts.
Such is Corks lack of ball winners teams can mark Cronin out of it.
If Cork under JBM want to use pace and width to beat Clare,he must at least have guys that will win dirty ball even on the ground.
Id say there is every possibilty Cussen will start at Full forward,with Lehane ,Cronin,Cian Mac in the half forward line.
Dont even rule out Naughton starting.
Any of those 3 would be ideal for Clare.
Davy in a Munster final as waterford coach has seen exactly what Cussen can and cant do.The fact is as a coach he dealt with Aiseake in the replay,means he will no how to stop Cussen.
I hope thats not our plan B.
Aiseake was no Ray Cummins,miles off him,but much better at winning ball and taking the hits than Cussen was.Davy dealt with that threat.
Cussen got two goals against a poor tipp full back line in a challenge match.
Suddenly he is the answer to Corks problems.
Munster Club final,Kevin O Gorman snuffed out the threat from him.And then Maher on occassion marked him.Cussen done nothing at all.
Cian Mac,hard to know why he hasnt performed consistenly.
Against Clare he wont have the legs ,too slow to compete with them.
Having said that Id prefer him any day than Naughton or at full forward instead of Cussen.

It wont happen but I would start Niall Mac and Jamie Coughlan.Both are lacking match fitness but even these guys half fit are much much better than a full fit Naughton or Cussen.
Both are brave, honest,committed players and in Coughlans case blessed by natural talent and pace.
Coughlan unlike Naughton will get stuck in.A super first touch with an eye for a goal,Coughlan is able to at least compete for dirty ball,and works hard.He was just back from injury but got 1-3 for Newtown the weekend.
I would start him personally .I would even say if he had a good league behind him or paudie Sul wasnt injured Pat Horgan would struggle to start.
This guy attuide really is questionable.He expects it to happen for him,rather than make it happen.
Sunday Night I saw him against the Barrs,same old story.Cahalane had him in hes pocket pretty much.
The fact the Glen decided to keep the ball away from him even showed lack of confidence in him to beat Cahalane.
Great players will always find a way in to the game.Horgan didnt.
Let Lehane,Coughlan take the frees.Nash for penalties.
Horgan ,you just cant tell which Horgan will turn up.
The fact is ,with so little forwards in reserve and Paudie injured,he knows too well he is guaranteed to start.Some of these players need to be taken outside the comfort zone of being automatic starters.
Take Clare as an example.Duggan a young lad brought on,then taken off.Donnell scores a goal but not enough in Davys eyes ,and subbed.
Their is a ruthless approach about clare.You earn your place,your judged on what you do in the game,not what you have done.
Its all about the here and now.Some Cork players are living off reputations alone,and even at that ,some have been enhanced way more than they should have been.People say Horgan would walk on any team in Ireland.
I dont think he would on current form.
Lehane was on good form the weekend ,a badly needed boost.
On a side note Jamie Wall was in at Full forward for Kilbrittain and done very well.
It will be intersting to see where he plays on the U21 team.

We have a great chance of beating Clare imo

yomtea98 wrote: »

We have a great chance of beating Clare imo

I agree, I was extremely underwhelmed by Clare last Sunday, they will need to improve massively to beat Cork.

Clare are very naieve tactically to me and predictable, I'm pretty sure JBM will have a plan in place to counteract the Clare gameplan.

I don't rate Cussen at all but he will be key if he starts, look at the trouble Shanahan caused last Sunday untill he either faded or picked up a knock he had Clare in knots. Cussen could cause them similar problems and pick up alot of cheap frees at least.

premierstone wrote: »

I agree, I was extremely underwhelmed by Clare last Sunday, they will need to improve massively to beat Cork.

Clare are very naieve tactically to me and predictable, I'm pretty sure JBM will have a plan in place to counteract the Clare gameplan.

I don't rate Cussen at all but he will be key if he starts, look at the trouble Shanahan caused last Sunday untill he either faded or picked up a knock he had Clare in knots. Cussen could cause them similar problems and pick up alot of cheap frees at least.

I don't rate him either but expect him to play.We need to play it quick into him,no tippy tappy passing let it in and have men running off him.Clare were very disappointing last Sunday and surely they will be better but even so I give us a great chance

premierstone wrote: »

I agree, I was extremely underwhelmed by Clare last Sunday, they will need to improve massively to beat Cork.

Clare are very naieve tactically to me and predictable, I'm pretty sure JBM will have a plan in place to counteract the Clare gameplan.

I don't rate Cussen at all but he will be key if he starts, look at the trouble Shanahan caused last Sunday untill he either faded or picked up a knock he had Clare in knots. Cussen could cause them similar problems and pick up alot of cheap frees at least.

If Clare repeat a performance like last Sunday, Cork have a great chance as they have more accurate forwards than Waterford imo, (just not enough ball winners).
If Waterford had a better day in front of goal they would have been out of sight before Clare finally going.

Every game is different but I'm expecting much more from Clare the next day, we were well below the level of potential that's there. That said, we were second best for large periods of the relegation playoff also which is a worry, sooner or later that's going to bit us in the ass

I dont agree premier stone cussen,can cause damage.It takes a lot more than just height,to survive at intercounty level.
Shanahan is no where near hes brother Dan,but is much better than cussen.
On what basis?and what has cussen done,to prove he is up to it?
Tippeareary,know first hand,that a big man on the edge of the square wont work,you need more from a player.
2007,ye had big Michael webster,in their.Would tipp fans want him back.Not a hope.
Redser o Grady,is a big man,but again no where near Ic level.would ye take him back?
Cussen to win frees?
He may win the odd,one or two,but thats it.
The way Ic hurling is referred at times,it makes Rubgy look soft,in fairness.
Another point about frees,is Cussen was manned and outmuscled in the munster club final.
Not a cork county final,where he wont be challenged,but in a munster final,he was stopped,repeateadly,and complained he was fouled.
Whether he was or wasnt,he didnt get any frees.
Pat ryan,sarsfields coach,said afterwards,he was roughed out of it,and should have been better protected.That was at club level.
Wait till he gets to Inter county hurling.Thats part and parcel now,whether its right or wrong,fact is nothing soft
is given by referees.
People seem to forget, Cussen couldnt use hes height at Ic football for years bar one game,and its no suprise,when he was dropped like many others from the 07 final,that three laters Cork won an ireland with better forwards.He had plenty of chances in 2010 for the hurlers.
Has he honesty improved that much in fairness?

Clare,completely out played cork in the league,and league final.
Clare had loads of wides,the game should have been over,before extra time.
Cork outplayed clare?
In what aeras?
Clare dominated the puckouts,and Cork lead at h time,but had the wind.yes we missed a goal chance.
So did clare,and missed,a lot scoreable points.
Clare fully deserved the win .
I think its fair to say,it was similar to Kk in the league final,the year before,but luckily clare werent and are not as clinical or ruthless as Kk as yet.
In terms of possesion,clare dominated the second half.

Clare were always going to struggle the last day,starting off,as hadnt won in 5 years.
They had to do it,they did,and in the end,did it easily.
Clare,can only get better,we are stone cold.Clare have a big advantage.
I dont think clare are good enough yet to beat tipp,for a munster title,if they meet.
They are not at that level yet,and tipp are battle hardened and cuter.
Cork have won nothing,and lost two league finals.
Clare have won the div 2 league final and league play off, under davy,and have a host of all ireland winners at underage.
Clare have a winning habit,where we cant close games out,and confidence and self belief are a huge part of this.
The majority of clare hurlers,ran tippeareary close in the intermediate final in nenagh last year.
Clare had loads of wides,tipperearys team was more expierenced.
Clare still competed though.
And they have lot of these available at under age this year.
There is no baggage from old clare teams,they dont fear Cork at all.
A dry sunny,day,and if he picks the right team,and does a 1999 in it,and make brave calls,yes we have a chance.
I dont think he will change the team much though,and it could be same old story.

@Thinkstoomuch

You seem to be very informed and knowledgeable, but could you format your posts properly! Finding it hard to read them.

Thinkstoomuch wrote: »

I dont agree premier stone cussen,can cause damage.It takes a lot more than just height,to survive at intercounty level.
Shanahan is no where near hes brother Dan,but is much better than cussen.
On what basis?and what has cussen done,to prove he is up to it?
Tippeareary,know first hand,that a big man on the edge of the square wont work,you need more from a player.
2007,ye had big Michael webster,in their.Would tipp fans want him back.Not a hope.
Redser o Grady,is a big man,but again no where near Ic level.would ye take him back?
Cussen to win frees?
He may win the odd,one or two,but thats it.
The way Ic hurling is referred at times,it makes Rubgy look soft,in fairness.
Another point about frees,is Cussen was manned and outmuscled in the munster club final.
Not a cork county final,where he wont be challenged,but in a munster final,he was stopped,repeateadly,and complained he was fouled.
Whether he was or wasnt,he didnt get any frees.
Pat ryan,sarsfields coach,said afterwards,he was roughed out of it,and should have been better protected.That was at club level.
Wait till he gets to Inter county hurling.Thats part and parcel now,whether its right or wrong,fact is nothing soft
is given by referees.
People seem to forget, Cussen couldnt use hes height at Ic football for years bar one game,and its no suprise,when he was dropped like many others from the 07 final,that three laters Cork won an ireland with better forwards.He had plenty of chances in 2010 for the hurlers.
Has he honesty improved that much in fairness?

I agree with you he needs to improve he's physicality and to be honest at times he looks like a coward to me, but that Clare FB line is weak, very weak. It may not be Cussen but someone should be able to - Mauroce Shanahan is an average hurler and had them in knots.

Webster was cat but he had he's days aswell, I seem to remember him absolutely destroying Brian Lohan in the Gaelic Grounds one day.

Redser was an excellent hurler and its unfair to lump him in there, Redsers 'issues' had little to do with hurling, again I recall him destroying Noel Hickey one day, and I mean destroying.

Anyway, your doing a fine job of playing the poor mouth - I like it, stay in the long grass, cute auld Cork hoors for it

premierstone wrote: »

I agree with you he needs to improve he's physicality and to be honest at times he looks like a coward to me, but that Clare FB line is weak, very weak. It may not be Cussen but someone should be able to - Mauroce Shanahan is an average hurler and had them in knots.

Webster was cat but he had he's days aswell, I seem to remember him absolutely destroying Brian Lohan in the Gaelic Grounds one day.

Redser was an excellent hurler and its unfair to lump him in there, Redsers 'issues' had little to do with hurling, again I recall him destroying Noel Hickey one day, and I mean destroying.

Anyway, your doing a fine job of playing the poor mouth - I like it, stay in the long grass, cute auld Cork hoors for it

Fair enough about Redser,it was a bit harsh for me to label him the same as Cussen.
Redser was fiery and had a cut and a bite to hes hurling in fairness to him and would at least win he's share of ball.
Clare were weak at full back last Sunday and if Cork want to expose that they would be better lumping high balls in to Cian Mccarthy.He has his faults but at least he is brave and aggressive.
My own view is Cork dont need high balls necessarily in the square to beat clare.We actually have the makings of a good full forward line.The problem is they need a supply of ball.
Cork would be much better at focusing on the half forward line and while we wont dominate the clare half backs at least break even.
Niall Mac,would be worth the risk to start.He's job would be to compete and help Cronin win puckouts,and disrupt and limit the Clare Half back line from dominating.

He should be told,not to shoot from impossible aeras,even at hes best that has always been a weak part of he's game.All the Cork Half Forward line neee to do is supply the full forward line with good low ball .
The Cork Half forward line of 2004/2005 was not a huge scoring threat with Niall and Timmy Mac.
They grafted,harried,chased,competed for every ball and created space for the inside line.The current cork half forward line can not do this.

Im not playing the poor mouth or hyping Clare up for the sake of it.Its not being pessimstic just for the sake of it.
Their are 3 types of views one can choose to have,they can be pessimstic,optimstic,or in my case ,be realistic in relation to the team.
Im just being realistic based on what I have seen from Cork all through the league.I said here even after the first game against Tipp,a lot of questions remained to be answered by this team and we would struggle to stay up.
I said the same before the play off.
Every thing I said bout Cork has been proven unfortunately.
If i thought we had a good chance to win,Id say it.In the U21 games,and minor games ,I have said Cork would win in regards the football.
In the minor against Tipp in thurles I said Cork would win.I was wrong ,like I was wrong when i said we would beat Galway in the U21 final.
But the point is,I predicted Cork as there was logic to my confidence and belief in the team to win.
With the Senior hurlers they have shown nothing for me to have the same confidence in regards a win.
Thanks for the compliment in reference to being a cute Cork man:-:),but all jokes aside Im not blowing Clare up at all.Im just going on what I have seen so far and don't believe in the rubbish that Cork are like mushrooms and will come overnight and just cause Cork are Cork we can suddenly become a winning team in the blink of an eye.It takes more than that to win now days.
The CCB might think Cork are Cork and all that but I dont.

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).

Fair play to Darren Sweetnam,starting today for Ireland in the Junior Rubgy World Cup in France.
Anyone needing to see why the Cork panel are indefintely weaker than 12 months ago, you just need to take one look at he's strength tonight.He is a superb athlete.
One of the reasons we have gone backwards this year, is we are missing players like him.

It is in times like now that you realise what a savage loss he really was to Cork.

Thinkstoomuch wrote: »

Fair play to Darren Sweetnam,starting today for Ireland in the Junior Rubgy World Cup in France.
Anyone needing to see why the Cork panel are indefintely weaker than 12 months ago, you just need to take one look at he's strength tonight.He is a superb athlete.
One of the reasons we have gone backwards this year, is we are missing players like him.

It is in times like now that you realise what a savage loss he really was to Cork.

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

Just saw him score another try! Big loss for Cork but Irelands gain!

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 .

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

Cork are still hopeful he will play a part,but its a huge ask for a guy to recover from such a serious sickness in 12 days.If he is that sick,Id nearly prefer him not to play,the last thing you want is him to be rushed back and suffering a relapse down the line.
I can not see how expect him to play now to be honest.Cork have no chance without him.

If the news coudn't get any worse,then it says that Adrian Mannix,Peter O Brien,Michael Walsh,Bill Cooper and Fintan O Leary have all been released of the panel.

That certainly means that JBM ,is only seeing Cussen as our only target man option.I dont even think Niall Mac is back with the panel.

Eoin Keane and Patrick O Mahony have been added to the panel, as Spillane and Killan Murphy are carrying knocks.In the case Of Keane,its a boost ,as he is a natural full back and has done well for the U21s in he"s time with them,particulary against Tippereary.
Injuries have hampered him though.He is only just back from a serious injury.

Its a very harsh call on Mannix.He done all that was asked of him in the winter,got injured,then had a poor game against Galway and was taken off.Many other cork players were poor but seem to get chance after chance.

Apparently acording to the paper they have a A V B game and then play the U21s and then pick the team based on that.Our B team is no test,we will struggle to put a bench together for the Clare game.
It is not like Kilkenny A team against their B team.
Absoultey madness.They would be better served picking on Club form.
Currently Spillane is injured,Cahalane is involved with the footballers,so the Cork U21 full back won't be a much of a test.

Paudie sullivan's injury was a bad blow,but Cronin being sick now as well is just woeful.The only two really big time game players, that Cork could depend on are now missing.

Barry Kelly confirmed to ref cork and Clare in the hurling. We could've done without that but he'll be the least of our worries at this stage

Horse84 wrote: »

Barry Kelly confirmed to ref cork and Clare in the hurling. We could've done without that but he'll be the least of our worries at this stage

I agree,but we should be well used to him at this stage.With the Clare defence,and hes style to let things go,their will no soft free's given.Cork will have to work extremely hard for every score.

Thats the problem with all the injuries now as well..Will we start 6 forwards that have the attuide will, and drive to do such a shift.

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.

Mountainlad wrote: »

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.

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

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.

Hidalgo wrote: »

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

He is a savage loss.I would say he is almost certain to miss it.Even if he starts, it is highly unlikely he will last a full half at the very least.Kieran Kingston the Cork selector said last week he had a level of match fitness and they were hopeful he'd recover.

That was before he spent another 6 days in hospital though.And match fitness is not the problem.
A big difference between out of breath due to the pace of a game and coughing blood up due to a serious infection which is what he done.

It is not like a common cold,or a bone you can hope heals fast.This is a serious infection.Id nearly prefer him not to start unless he is a hundred per cent,as
(A) you dont want him to put hes health at risk
(B)You would not want him rushed back and relapse down the line.
The fact he was in hospital for so long,means it was serious enough.

Dotsy O Callaghan for Dublin suffered the same fate and missed most of the league.Thats shows how long it can take to recover fully.
Henry Shefflin too suffered from it at the start of the year,and was in hospital.He said he was weak after it and as he was already off due to injury the rest helped him recover.
I find it hard to see how Cronin can recover in such time.It is not like he is playing a 5 side game of soccer,or a jog around the park,this is a full intensity high octane game of hurling.

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

Paudie O Sullivan and Pa Cronin are realistically the only two forwards guranteed to perform in championship for Cork on any given day.
Paudie got 4 points from play last year against Tipp and three against Galway.
He always showed for the ball and worked very hard compared to the likes of Horgan who is hit and miss.

Cronin is our only forward who can physically compete with hard challenges,and as Captain he 's leadership alone is crucial.
Take the tipp game,last year,at the start of the game Maher,was niggling naughton.He knew that was Cathals weakspot.Naughton is not man enough to sort it himself,Cronin had to sort maher out.Now while he was lucky he was not sent off,he has that toughness that I have yet to see in any other Cork forwards that will start.Himself and Paudie Sul absence can not be under estimated for next week

Moylan has showed it to be fair,and he has a good workrate unlike others.
Lehane looks like he bulked up a bit,but during the league was not consistent.He is young,so I would give him time.

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.

Thinkstoomuch wrote: »

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.

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

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 .