Vladimir The Bear
Full Member
Just back from Waterford. Fantastic performance. Exactly what's been required all along. Even if we had been beaten I wouldn't have been as down as recent weeks because we tried to hurl the right way. Very aggressive and really mixed things up between the long and the short game. As it stands we are back in the hunt and have our destiny back in our own hands. An excellent day.
On the performance I was thrilled with the last 30 minutes. The balance of the team looked a lot better then at any other stage in recent years. 3 lads up front capable of winning there own ball and if they didn't win it at least they made utter nuisances of themselves and made it it difficult for Waterford to clear their lines and hence gave our backline that extra vital 2 or 3 seconds to reset.
Pa Collins had his best performance in a Cork jersey. I've heard rumours that he has been doing no shot stopping in training and only all puckouts. Worrying if true. However he pulled off a fantastic save in the first half, got a great point and less of the short passing crap meant he looked a lot more solid.
The full backline was excellent. O Donaghue had Hutchinson in his pocket, still over indulging a bit in the short passing but he's after turning into an elite defender to be fair to him.
Downey caught a bit in 2 minds for the goal but other then that he had a fine afternoon. Loved his aggression. At long last Gleeson met his match in a Cork player that was cuter then him. Couldn't see the first yellow but I saw the 2cd, Gleeson swung back, Downey took no sh!t. 2 deserved yellows and Gleeson the gets caught out. No sympathy for him whatsoever.
Joyce was really solid. Another fine outing. Coleman was good but still fear the short passing is deeply ingrained in him so will take a while to fully get that out of his system.
I thought Damien Cahalane tried very hard, can't ever question his attitude but he was definitely the weakest of the 6 backs today. Just a few silly mistakes.
I was seriously impressed with Luke Meade. Not sure if ye could see it on TV but he did some off the ball defensive work. Just tracking runners, taking up space to prevent Waterford getting into dangerous positions and always offered himself as an out ball. Fitzgibbons best performance in about 3 years. This is what we want from him. Aggression, defensive work and obviously his usual attacking prowness.
Connolly was a real hero up front. In the first 20 minutes he was the only guy up there fronting up to Waterford at every opportunity. Harnedy thundered into the game then to help him and then Tim absolutely sowed into the Waterford backline and suddenly we looked a transformed team from the meek tippy tappy team of recent times.
Robbie O’Flynn is a player who again did ok today but there's so much more in him. He has a great attitude but I don't know is it just his concentration or what but he just tunes out sometimes.
Shane Barrett needs serious S&C, I'd have serious concerns about what exactly our S&C plan has been with years as a lot of our lads look still look weaker then their counterparts in other counties but thats a whinge for another day. Barret will probably be benched next day I'd imagine.
Hoggie is the greatest forward in hurling history and now has the stat to back it, however it's time to be bluntly honest about it. His legs are gone. The brain is obviously still there but if the body ain't doing it then it doesn't matter what the brain says. He's an impact sub at best now I think. The same happened Shefflin, it happened Canning, it happened Keher, it happened Ring. Time waits for no man.
Did anyone else see when Kingston got sent off, Sully jumps up to take his place and Pat Mul roared at him to sit the f*ck down. Twas fairly obvious from that who is in charge behind Kingston.
Indeed on the line I thought Cork were manic aggressive. First time I ever recall Kingston being like that.
I thought James Owens was giving Waterford some desperate soft frees, again I haven't seen it back on TV yet so I could be wrong. Also Harnedy got a clear point in the first half that was waved wide. Maybe it's time to either stop playing games in stadiums that don't have hawk eye or don't use hawk eye in round robin games anywhere. Very unfair that it's not an equal playing field in all stadiums.
Lastly Walsh Park is a desperate hole.
A good day for Cork. But if we get knocked out next week we have no one to blame but ourselves. We've had the odd performance like this in the past only for it to be followed by dross thereafter. Hope to god they show that aggression and workrate from now in.
The genuine Cork hurling fan will always get behind the team once we are shown workrate and pride in return.
EDIT: Conor Lehanes attitude was A1. Ran his socks off. Delighted for him.
On the performance I was thrilled with the last 30 minutes. The balance of the team looked a lot better then at any other stage in recent years. 3 lads up front capable of winning there own ball and if they didn't win it at least they made utter nuisances of themselves and made it it difficult for Waterford to clear their lines and hence gave our backline that extra vital 2 or 3 seconds to reset.
Pa Collins had his best performance in a Cork jersey. I've heard rumours that he has been doing no shot stopping in training and only all puckouts. Worrying if true. However he pulled off a fantastic save in the first half, got a great point and less of the short passing crap meant he looked a lot more solid.
The full backline was excellent. O Donaghue had Hutchinson in his pocket, still over indulging a bit in the short passing but he's after turning into an elite defender to be fair to him.
Downey caught a bit in 2 minds for the goal but other then that he had a fine afternoon. Loved his aggression. At long last Gleeson met his match in a Cork player that was cuter then him. Couldn't see the first yellow but I saw the 2cd, Gleeson swung back, Downey took no sh!t. 2 deserved yellows and Gleeson the gets caught out. No sympathy for him whatsoever.
Joyce was really solid. Another fine outing. Coleman was good but still fear the short passing is deeply ingrained in him so will take a while to fully get that out of his system.
I thought Damien Cahalane tried very hard, can't ever question his attitude but he was definitely the weakest of the 6 backs today. Just a few silly mistakes.
I was seriously impressed with Luke Meade. Not sure if ye could see it on TV but he did some off the ball defensive work. Just tracking runners, taking up space to prevent Waterford getting into dangerous positions and always offered himself as an out ball. Fitzgibbons best performance in about 3 years. This is what we want from him. Aggression, defensive work and obviously his usual attacking prowness.
Connolly was a real hero up front. In the first 20 minutes he was the only guy up there fronting up to Waterford at every opportunity. Harnedy thundered into the game then to help him and then Tim absolutely sowed into the Waterford backline and suddenly we looked a transformed team from the meek tippy tappy team of recent times.
Robbie O’Flynn is a player who again did ok today but there's so much more in him. He has a great attitude but I don't know is it just his concentration or what but he just tunes out sometimes.
Shane Barrett needs serious S&C, I'd have serious concerns about what exactly our S&C plan has been with years as a lot of our lads look still look weaker then their counterparts in other counties but thats a whinge for another day. Barret will probably be benched next day I'd imagine.
Hoggie is the greatest forward in hurling history and now has the stat to back it, however it's time to be bluntly honest about it. His legs are gone. The brain is obviously still there but if the body ain't doing it then it doesn't matter what the brain says. He's an impact sub at best now I think. The same happened Shefflin, it happened Canning, it happened Keher, it happened Ring. Time waits for no man.
Did anyone else see when Kingston got sent off, Sully jumps up to take his place and Pat Mul roared at him to sit the f*ck down. Twas fairly obvious from that who is in charge behind Kingston.
Indeed on the line I thought Cork were manic aggressive. First time I ever recall Kingston being like that.
I thought James Owens was giving Waterford some desperate soft frees, again I haven't seen it back on TV yet so I could be wrong. Also Harnedy got a clear point in the first half that was waved wide. Maybe it's time to either stop playing games in stadiums that don't have hawk eye or don't use hawk eye in round robin games anywhere. Very unfair that it's not an equal playing field in all stadiums.
Lastly Walsh Park is a desperate hole.
A good day for Cork. But if we get knocked out next week we have no one to blame but ourselves. We've had the odd performance like this in the past only for it to be followed by dross thereafter. Hope to god they show that aggression and workrate from now in.
The genuine Cork hurling fan will always get behind the team once we are shown workrate and pride in return.
EDIT: Conor Lehanes attitude was A1. Ran his socks off. Delighted for him.
