Hurling Championship 2007 - Cork team reshuffle

[PermanentMarker]

Might as well get the ball rolling on this one. How would you restructure the Cork team for next year? Who would you like to see come in and who do you think should be sidelined?

When O'Grady restructured the team he originally put Gardiner and Mickey O'Connell in midfield which didn't really work out - I think Mickey was the problem. I know Gardiner made some silly mistakes yesterday but I think his best attribute is powering past players with his physique and he is fantastic in the air. He's only 23.

I felt the difference all along between Cork and Kilkenny is that Kilkenny shoot from far out. They accept they will accumulate a large number of wides as a result but they also notch up high scores. Cork forwards with the exception of Ben and Niall Mac don't seem to have that confidence. Their game plan involves too much passing which other counties have now copped on to and countered.

I'd like to see the testing of some new talent at the back during the league and possibly moving Gardiner to midfield.

[Up For The Ba]

As always there have been rumours that Setanta hasnt really settled in Oz, while it would be nice to see him do well there I think we can safely say that he would be greatly appreciated back in a red jersey here. Pat Mul has had a poor year and so has Sully, Sherlock has to come back into the team. Naughton should maybe be a starter next year, the forward line has gone very dead. There seems to be a lack of a Fergal McCormack type player around at the moment, we could have done with this yesterday because quite simply there was no plan B.

[anmadrarua]

i was thinking exactly teh same thing about mccormack.

he was a big stong chap with a fair sprinkling of ability.

[Up For The Ba]

i was thinking exactly teh same thing about mccormack.

he was a big stong chap with a fair sprinkling of ability.

Yep, and had we someone of his ilk yesterday maybe we could have switched the tactics a little.

[Rebelred]

Might as well get the ball rolling on this one. How would you restructure the Cork team for next year? Who would you like to see come in and who do you think should be sidelined?

When O'Grady restructured the team he originally put Gardiner and Mickey O'Connell in midfield which didn't really work out - I think Mickey was the problem. I know Gardiner made some silly mistakes yesterday but I think his best attribute is powering past players with his physique and he is fantastic in the air. He's only 23.

I felt the difference all along between Cork and Kilkenny is that Kilkenny shoot from far out. They accept they will accumulate a large number of wides as a result but they also notch up high scores. Cork forwards with the exception of Ben and Niall Mac don't seem to have that confidence. Their game plan involves too much passing which other counties have now copped on to and countered.

I'd like to see the testing of some new talent at the back during the league and possibly moving Gardiner to midfield.
I think the main difference between Cork and Kilkenny is that Kilkennys forwards are more likely to create their own scores.Cork don't really do this.I don't think there's a need for a massive cull in the squad, but we have to be looking at bringing through some more youngsters,give them the experience they need, because otherwise,we could be in danger of falling well behind Kilkenny and perhaps Galway in a few years

[anmadrarua]

I think the main difference between Cork and Kilkenny is that Kilkennys forwards are more likely to create their own scores.Cork don't really do this.I don't think there's a need for a massive cull in the squad, but we have to be looking at bringing through some more youngsters,give them the experience they need, because otherwise,we could be in danger of falling well behind Kilkenny and perhaps Galway in a few years

kilkenny club hurling is very competitive and as a result they get used to makign scores in tight situations. they have always been capable of producing teasm with 2 or 3 really classy forwards. maybe its a breeding thing. or climatic.

[Up For The Ba]

Good point about the Kilkenny forwards. One big factor that has gone relatively un-noticed IMO is that Ben O Connor is carrying an injury and has been for the entire campaign. His form was nowhere near his best as a result which was a massive loss for Cork. Deane is capable of doing this too but obviously age is catching up with him a little. Neil Ronan is a huge talent but he lets things get to him way too much, i`d love to see him in the starting line up again next year and playing 2/3 good games in a row, it would do him and Cork the world of good.

[Brad]

I think the main difference between Cork and Kilkenny is that Kilkennys forwards are more likely to create their own scores.Cork don't really do this.I don't think there's a need for a massive cull in the squad, but we have to be looking at bringing through some more youngsters,give them the experience they need, because otherwise,we could be in danger of falling well behind Kilkenny and perhaps Galway in a few years

Nonsense.Kilkenny won ydy and deservedly so.However i genuinley believe we are still the better hurling team and kilkenny won due to be a hungrier team ydy.If both teams played each other ten times i imagine Cork would win 7 out of the ten times.There needs to be a change or two in the forwards but we still the best 1-9 in the country.Bring back Sherlock and get Sully to focus a bit more but thats about it.I believe we will come back hungrier next year and win it again.if we got Setanta back then next year we would definitely win.

[KolaKubes]

I think that more than anything cost us yesterday, you couldn't see Cork getting the goals Galway got against Kilkenny and if we had it would have been a very different story.

Essentially if we got Setanta back I think things could click into life. We lack that totemic forward many other counties have. We have some great little players like Ben O'Connor and Joe Deane in there, maybe Naughton to come, but none of them the sort of player to best a defender under dropping ball and rattle in a goal or two. Niall McCarthy for me isn't the answer.

I actually thought during the year that the situation was so dire that we should have considered moving one of the less mobile backs up to full forward and let the corner forwards try and feed off the scraps. Crude, ugly but it might have worked.

It certainly would have given us the Plan B we so clearly lacked yesterday.

[bricktop]

Nonsense.Kilkenny won ydy and deservedly so.However i genuinley believe we are still the better hurling team and kilkenny won due to be a hungrier team ydy.If both teams played each other ten times i imagine Cork would win 7 out of the ten times.There needs to be a change or two in the forwards but we still the best 1-9 in the country.Bring back Sherlock and get Sully to focus a bit more but thats about it.I believe we will come back hungrier next year and win it again.if we got Setanta back then next year we would definitely win.
i think if sully was dropped it might sort out his focus.

[Brad]

i think if sully was dropped it might sort out his focus.

Yeah,spot on,just give him a nice kick up his backside and that will sort him out.In saying that my point remains,still the best team in the country,lets just make a few changes up front and get the hunger back.Defeat in an All Ireland Final tends to get that hunger back.

[Rebelred]

Apart from the goal,I thought Sully did ok yesterday,had a far better second half than most.Brian Murphy was struggling a bit aswell and Pat Mul was cleaned out as we all saw.

The strange thing about yesterday is it was the first time i've seen our half back/midfield 5 so comprehensively outplayed.These guys are the platform our success has been built on,and Kilkenny outfought them and took control of the game

[KolaKubes]

The question for those leaving Pat Mulcahy on as long as they did was would any Cork fan have bemoaned him lifting the McCarthy cup at the end if he'd been taken off after 20 minutes?

Like fuck.

We all have bad days at the office.

I'm afraid pride cometh before a fall in this case.

[Brad]

The question for those leaving Pat Mulcahy on as long as they did was would any Cork fan have bemoaned him lifting the McCarthy cup at the end if he'd been taken off after 20 minutes?

Like fuck.

We all have bad days at the office.

I'm afraid pride cometh before a fall in this case.

If he had not being captain all year i believe he would not have started the match ydy.I believe should be dropped,not because of his performance ydy but his performance over the whole year.I just think Sherlock is better.

[FreakPower]

I think the main difference between Cork and Kilkenny is that Kilkennys forwards are more likely to create their own scores.Cork don't really do this.

It's a good point, but I'd suggest another possibility. The running game (spending too much time handpassing it around the midfield and soloing the ball) gives the defence too much time to set, and means that the full-forward line are dealing with a lot of congestion. We've often been save by Niall Mc and Ben taking points from far out -- that didn't work today because KK shut down our midfield: the two-man inside line worked a treat for them.

I'd say drop Sully, Pat Mul, Timmy & Corcoran -- great servants all, but Pat Mul was cleaned out and conceded two soft frees, Timmy didn't put in the usual All-Ireland performance, Sully gave away the goal (a point-blank shot that Cusack could have done nothing about), and Corcoran was hurled out of it.

I wonder if they're putting the same emphasis on basic skills as under O'Grady? Seemed their touch was off all through the game, missed pickups, intercepted passes -- how many times did Cork players leave the ball behind them?

[Rebelred]

If he had not being captain all year i believe he would not have started the match ydy.I believe should be dropped,not because of his performance ydy but his performance over the whole year.I just think Sherlock is better.
Sherlock is one of the best corner backs to have played hurling in the past decade.Had he not been injured last year then Mulcahy would probably not have been in the team for the last 2 seasons.Not that Pat is a bad hurler,but like you,I think Sherlock is better than him in the corner

[Langer Dan]

Everyone seems to see Setanta as the 'great white hope' of Cork hurling who but to be honest I havnt heard anything but rumours as regards his situation in Oz.

In all likelihood Brian and Mulcahy have played their final games for cork, Id Timmy mac will struggle to retain his place also.

In simple terms so we have bviosly two positions to fill.Sherlock in for Pat and Ben in for Brian would be my choice.

Cian O Connor is a half back, playing him as a forward was a nonsensical move this year. Id consider slotting him in for Gardiner moving Gardiner into midfield and slotting Jerry back in at half forward, with Naughton slotting in for Ben at corner forward.

[stevetharlear]

i think if sully was dropped it might sort out his focus.
If Corcoran goes it might do to try Sully at FF. I hear he plays well here, and after this year I think his days at full back are numbered. Just have no confidence in him in front of our goal although he did have a good second half yesterday. And you couldn't really put too much blame on him for the goal.

It's a bit worrying looking at the ages of the KK players, and Galway's for that matter, we're going to have to blood some young lads next year or risk hurting future teams.

Really hope we meet the Cats at some stage in the championship in 2007, I imagine the players would be looking for that too.

[Rebelred]

If Corcoran goes it might do to try Sully at FF. I hear he plays well here, and after this year I think his days at full back are numbered. Just have no confidence in him in front of our goal although he did have a good second half yesterday. And you couldn't really put too much blame on him for the goal.

It's a bit worrying looking at the ages of the KK players, and Galway's for that matter, we're going to have to blood some young lads next year or risk hurting future teams.

Really hope we meet the Cats at some stage in the championship in 2007, I imagine the players would be looking for that too.
yeah, was reading the program last night and thats a young spine of a team they have,with vast experience.Tommy Walsh is 23 and has 3 All Irelands! Tennyson is 21,Power same, Fogarty 24. Whereas we've alot of lads at the 28/29 age group,with an inexperienced bench too.

[GOD]

Drop Sully and Timmy Mac and wait for the success in '07, '08 and '09. I can feel it in my bones.

[i_didnt_do_nawtin]

I think Mickey was the problem.

hehe

[smurfit06]

i can't believe this, restructure are you mad. Quite simply, kilkenny did deserve it, they did their homework, they had a plan and a stronger determination, but for all their possesion, for all the talk, it was still one goal between them, a goal they were lucky to get. bens goal at the end showed that had cork changed their own style how weak kilkenny were at the back, a lot weaker than cork. but you can be sure next year will be a cork kilkenny final, and then it will be kilkenny with their backs to the wall. never mind restructure, back up plans are all that cork need, the ability to quickly switch tactics. and timmy deserves to stay, either as a starter or impact sub.

[D number 10]

not sure if there will be too many new faces next year. the team has only lost a handful of games since 99 and deserves some faith from us.
cody got his tactics right,crowding kk halfback line. there always was a spare kk player in space in the midfield. then they gave big high balls in on sully(this is not a new tactic, all teams have done it too him this year) but hes not attacking the ball, he stands his ground and is relient on catching it. last year IMO he was a lot better when he stood off and went to bat the ball instead of catching it.
Timmy mc i thought played his usual running game. when kk were on top he tried to run at there defence(which is his normal instructions im sure) but the half back line was so crowded.
Ben was outstanding even not up to his true form, some lovely scores and a great goal.
as for Brian corcoran , in fairness hickey was well up for it sunday as was corcoran the last 2 years especially. i think it was a key battle for kk that corcoran didnt get some of the inspirational scores he got in the last couple of finals. i pray he stays on for another year at least.
as for Pat mul. I have great fate in JA and im sure if he thought wayne sherlock was performing at his best in training that we would have seen him earlier in the game( as we did with cathal naughton) but in fairness mul didnt have his best game and maybe the hype of been the 3 in a row winning captain got to him.
the one player i have been disappointed with is Tom Kenny. i think lyng cleaned him. gardiner played wel when he moved in there but he put 3 balls wide.
all in all even though we didnt play at our best ,kk only beat us by a goal so no major surgery needed IMO

[Rebelred]

Codys record is outstanding to be fair,top class manager. 4 All Irelands in 8 years,not bad by anybodys standards

[Some user]

I saw Sully play centre forward for Clyone against Newtown in the County Final last year. Didn't seem to have any effect. I like the idea of Gardiner at midfield and moving Jerry into the forwards. I get the impression Gardiner is anxious to get forward a lot and he's got confidence in his shooting albeit it didn't go to plan on Sunday.

We definitely have to start blooding young players as well and get them rubbing shoulders with experienced players as soon as possible.

The future is still very bright. We'll win an All Ireland again in the next three years.