Cork Hurlers - Part 2

[North Cork1]

When the CCB tried to make Pat Ryan shake up his team after losing 2 finals they were criticized and blamed for Ryan walking away, will they have the appetite to get involved again for 2nd yr running???

Why?
Pat Ryan was at the end of a three year term.
BOC is at the end of the first of three

If BOC still hasn't delivered a title in two years time they probably won't renew his tenure.

 

[Meanach]

I don't honestly know.
However, I have listened to JBM John Meyler, Kieran Kingston and Pat Ryan all speaking about not getting it right in their first year and not being ready for how difficult the role was.

I think Ben got a lot right, got some things wrong as well.
Got us through to a semi final without hitting too many speed bumps.

I think we were unlucky with injuries as well
It did seem as if Daire O Leary was going to play a part but injury scuppered that.
The injury to Joyce was huge.
The illness to Dara Fitzgibbon affected his performances without doubt after wards.
The injuries to TOM and TOC also were huge and if Ben made any mistake it was starting both of those against Galway.

I am saying that now with the advantage of hindsight.

In general I think there was a lot of positives and we all knew there were people waiting in the long grass and could only be kept quiet by winning the All Ireland.
I have no problem with criticism as long as it is reasoned and balanced.

I agree with you that it’s not easy to get all things right on the first year.
My thing is that Ben got so much wrong in his first year and Cork still got to an All Ireland semi final even though they eventually got hammered by Galway.
Ben got things wrong off the field as well! The parting of senior hurling coach Niall O’Halloran in December of last year after just three months wasn’t a good start for Ben and I’m not sure that Niall was replaced but of course this can easily be clarified on here.
Starting two injured players in the middle of the field was a stupid mistake especially when one of them was so bad in the Munster final. Tommy O’Connell was not good v Limerick and Fitzgibbon should have started there in the semi final if O’Connell was fit or not! Alan Connolly was very poor all year and one wondered how he managed to keep on getting selected with him in such bad form? William Buckley must be wondering why he was dropped by Ben after having a great start to his senior career and Connolly left on?
How good are Cork when Ben got so many things wrong in his first year and still got to the semi final plus I haven’t even mentioned numbers 1 and 3 who imo need to be changed urgently!
Imagine if he gets it right next year, Cork will clean up and the McCarthy Cup will be travelling down to the banks of the Lee.
One thing that needs to be clarified is do we know for sure that the two midfielders were injured v Galway?
Interesting.

 

[Lee Bushwacker]

"Only other 'prominent' county I would say is Antrim and given O' Neills day job that's a non runner" = NONSENSE

Cash payments, ,mileage, accomodation and a handy job.

Cian is as hungry as they come, would not rule out Antrim.

The reputation is overhyped and on the wain but Cork may bite in desperation.

22 YEARS.

"Wane" not "wain".

 

[Vladimir The Bear]

Vlad.
I agree about Joyce settling well at full back.
If I could clone him I would play him full back , centre back and a couple of other positions besides.
However, I think centre back is a problem area for us.
When the ground gets hard and hurling gets fast I don't think Rob Downey has the mobility for the position and for the last three years has struggled to stay fully fit.

Joyce has, in my opinion, all the attributes , pace aggression, reading of the game, the ability to cover all along the line as well as drive forward in possession.

I agree about Maloney, well worth a look if he can regain form .

I think Daire O Leary might be more suited to centre back than full back as you say and before injury I thought he showed a lot of promise. Staying fit has been a problem for him for quite some time now.

I would like to see Millerick get an extended run as I consider him a pure defender which isn't the case with all our backs.
We have seen with both Tipp and Mayo over the last two years and indeed ourselves with Barry Walsh this year that if a player is good enough then they are old enough .
I feel we may see a couple of more young lads pushing for inclusion in the squad at leat.
James O Brien, Colm Gard, Johnny Murphy and maybe others I am forgetting.

I'd agree about about Rob Downey, I wouldn't be cutting him from the panel or anything like that but I don't think he's the answer at center back anymore, very injury prone and while I'd like to see Daire O Leary get a run there it must also be pointed out that he's even more injury prone, I would even go as far as to say that if O Leary picks up another injury then its probably best to just forget about him as a Cork hurler, very harsh I know but he's probably not durable enough.

Center back is only 1 area of concern, as mentioned earlier in the thread I think the half forward line is the area that has probably contributed more then anywhere else to the collapses v Tipp 2025, Galway 2026 and even the poor last 20 minutes v Limerick in this years Munster final.
Our running game in this line is hard to stop but when teams do manage it then the make up of the current half forward line means we have absolutely no plan B. In effect we have nobody capable of putting the paw up and just winning dirty ball. Would swapping Tim and Shane Barrett be worth a try? Or would a spell at full forward for Barrett be worth a go? Maybe a half forward line of Fitzy, Tim, Alan Walsh might be worth a look in a league game.

 

[YankyPat]

I am lost here....why would he pretend to be a Barrs supporters.?

Let me explain, he hasnt been seen out in Neenan pk in over 8 years ,nor has he attended any games of sort or not even a member.Goes on hereclike hes my big balls of the Barrs,and players etc, knows none of them & vice a versa
Won't get into why he was banished from the Barrs, but dont fall for all his spoofing
It's his calling out of other posters & his carry on that I have a issue with
He ain't no Barrsman

 

[YankyPat]

YankY, you’ve made the same point daily for about a year now.. we get it!

It’s really doesn’t matter what club he affiliates with, it’s a thread about Cork hurling. In the end of the day his opinion is only that, no more. If he bothers you that much just put him on ignore and you dont need to read his posts anymore.. job done

Be brave, believe! What a fraud

 

[St fachtna]

Vlad.
I agree about Joyce settling well at full back.
If I could clone him I would play him full back , centre back and a couple of other positions besides.
However, I think centre back is a problem area for us.
When the ground gets hard and hurling gets fast I don't think Rob Downey has the mobility for the position and for the last three years has struggled to stay fully fit.

Joyce has, in my opinion, all the attributes , pace aggression, reading of the game, the ability to cover all along the line as well as drive forward in possession.

I agree about Maloney, well worth a look if he can regain form .

I think Daire O Leary might be more suited to centre back than full back as you say and before injury I thought he showed a lot of promise. Staying fit has been a problem for him for quite some time now.

I would like to see Millerick get an extended run as I consider him a pure defender which isn't the case with all our backs.
We have seen with both Tipp and Mayo over the last two years and indeed ourselves with Barry Walsh this year that if a player is good enough then they are old enough .
I feel we may see a couple of more young lads pushing for inclusion in the squad at leat.
James O Brien, Colm Gard, Johnny Murphy and maybe others I am forgetting.

Centre back is this place were too open in that position

 

[Anne mac]

Let me explain, he hasnt been seen out in Neenan pk in over 8 years ,nor has he attended any games of sort or not even a member.Goes on hereclike hes my big balls of the Barrs,and players etc, knows none of them & vice a versa
Won't get into why he was banished from the Barrs, but dont fall for all his spoofing
It's his calling out of other posters & his carry on that I have a issue with
He ain't no Barrsman

Forget it,if I were you.Don't lose anymore of your hair over it.!

 

[North Cork1]

I agree with you that it’s not easy to get all things right on the first year.
My thing is that Ben got so much wrong in his first year and Cork still got to an All Ireland semi final even though they eventually got hammered by Galway.
Ben got things wrong off the field as well! The parting of senior hurling coach Niall O’Halloran in December of last year after just three months wasn’t a good start for Ben and I’m not sure that Niall was replaced but of course this can easily be clarified on here.
Starting two injured players in the middle of the field was a stupid mistake especially when one of them was so bad in the Munster final. Tommy O’Connell was not good v Limerick and Fitzgibbon should have started there in the semi final if O’Connell was fit or not! Alan Connolly was very poor all year and one wondered how he managed to keep on getting selected with him in such bad form? William Buckley must be wondering why he was dropped by Ben after having a great start to his senior career and Connolly left on?
How good are Cork when Ben got so many things wrong in his first year and still got to the semi final plus I haven’t even mentioned numbers 1 and 3 who imo need to be changed urgently!
Imagine if he gets it right next year, Cork will clean up and the McCarthy Cup will be travelling down to the banks of the Lee.
One thing that needs to be clarified is do we know for sure that the two midfielders were injured v Galway?
Interesting.

Hard to disagree with that.

I don't want to even consider the 2027 season yet.
Let alone winning it.

 

[StoneHouse]

I'd agree about about Rob Downey, I wouldn't be cutting him from the panel or anything like that but I don't think he's the answer at center back anymore, very injury prone and while I'd like to see Daire O Leary get a run there it must also be pointed out that he's even more injury prone, I would even go as far as to say that if O Leary picks up another injury then its probably best to just forget about him as a Cork hurler, very harsh I know but he's probably not durable enough.

Center back is only 1 area of concern, as mentioned earlier in the thread I think the half forward line is the area that has probably contributed more then anywhere else to the collapses v Tipp 2025, Galway 2026 and even the poor last 20 minutes v Limerick in this years Munster final.
Our running game in this line is hard to stop but when teams do manage it then the make up of the current half forward line means we have absolutely no plan B. In effect we have nobody capable of putting the paw up and just winning dirty ball. Would swapping Tim and Shane Barrett be worth a try? Or would a spell at full forward for Barrett be worth a go? Maybe a half forward line of Fitzy, Tim, Alan Walsh might be worth a look in a league game.

Tim o’Mahony has had enough chances, I think it’s time to be trying some other lads