Cork Hurlers - Part 2

[Bronxrebel]

No one is saying that Cork are settling for a close loss to Limerick. People are saying that if Cork lose a great match to Limerick in the semi or final that the season demonstrates progress. No one expects the players or the coaches to feel this way. As a fan I would be gutted but encouraged by that result. An ultimate success no. Progress? Yes.

 

[red&blue]

if you look in the cold light of day Cupan at the 2022 performance you would have to say Cork had the ability to have a serious say in the championship but blew it initially through ridiculous tactics and player positioning by management ( v Limerick and Clare ) and then through wastefulness and sloppiness by the players ( v Galway ) where they butchered 3-17 in scores and conceded two soft goals ( one of them a catastrophic keeper mistake ) and then lost by a single point to a team who actually looked far more likely to beat Limerick in the semi than KK did in the final.

I think Pat Ryan will feel he has the talent and depth to win the AI even in 2023 and I also believe that Cork are the one team who could completely upset Limerick with their pace and movement but ONLY if they set up well defensively and then have a launchpad to attach from half back.

I think Ryan will bring in Daire O’ Leary as a starter at No 3, I think he will look to have a strong physical half back line who can hurl and use the ball well coming out of defense and I can see him bringing in a few ball winners in attack and rotating them with speedy players playing off them in a more direct type of game.

I would love to see him go with a defense something like this

Collins
SOD. DOL. Millerick
Joyce. R. Downey E. Downey

Further up the field we have enough talent, pace and scoring ability to trouble anyone but we have to be able to build from a solid backline hence Downey needs to be the enforcer at 6 ( he takes no shit so stuck him right in the middle of it and he will drive it on physically ) and Joyce has more room to hurl at 5 or 7. Eoin Downey is ready also from what I have seen and has the size and devilment - if he wasn’t sitting his Leaving I think he would have played championship this year

Time will tell but Ryan knows full well he has a potential All Ireland panel available to him despite the underperformance this year

There is no way Joyce will be moved from 6, our team will be built around him at 6 for the next decade

 

[red&blue]

It is a long twelve months for Limerick before the next final.
I think their peak year was 2021, they won in 2022 but not comfortably, 2023 will be interesting. Some of that team were playing championship in 2015, more in 2016 and I think about ten in 2017.
The team has been unchanged almost completely since 2018. It is a challenge for any group to repeat the commitment and enthusiasm year after year. It won't be age that will beat Limerick it will be miles on the legs and a hungry pack chasing behind.

Every county wants to knock the champions off their perch and several counties will fancy themselves to do that... including Cork.

If you don't have that ambition then why bother at all ?

Spot on North Cork, this cowering down to limerick is pathetic, get ourselves right and go out and take everyone on

 

[dunmore]

RightHalfBack, midfield for Cork is crucial. Who do you see improving it ?

 

[Hurlywurly]

Sort out the goal leaking element of our defence and we'll win the AI next year.

Talking about the game v Galway and butchered chances, been bugging me for a while but I think if we'd left Connolly on we would have won that.
Easy said I know - if ands and maybes - but he is the type of player who even on a quiet day, which he had v Galway, can do Seanie Leary.

He wasn't particularly good v Sars until stoppage time and then he was the winning of the game.

 

[Bana]

RightHalfBack, midfield for Cork is crucial. Who do you see improving it ?

A number of options here imo but two fellas who played u20 under pat Ryan worth looking at are darragh flynn and Brian osullivan......

 

[RightHalfBack]

RightHalfBack, midfield for Cork is crucial. Who do you see improving it ?

I think Dunmore if we have a more dominant and physical half back line and perhaps two ball winners in the half forward line the midfield will then need lads who can win breaking ball and score from distance as well as moving the ball quickly and accurately under pressure so we might see the likes of Brian O Sullivan, Darragh Flynn or Tommy O Connell getting in there. Midfield would suit both Fitzgibbon and Coleman but I don’t think you can play them together as neither will hold - we have lots of options and Brian Roche could be a more physical alternative.

I still think getting 3,5,6,7 right will be the rock that will make this team along with ball winners at 10 and 12 so beyond that the options available to Ryan are plentiful

 

[morello]

Did Conor twomey Newtown play u20 for cork lads? Supposed to have been excellent at wing back last weekend

Great posts RHB and agree with the half back line actually - Downey can be a Brian hogan of sorts, allowing wing backs to hurl more, score more

Midfield focus has to be on Brian Roche - he’ll double our tackle count single handedly!

 

[bluesball]

Bring back Pa Cronin

 

[Cork93]

Did Conor twomey Newtown play u20 for cork lads? Supposed to have been excellent at wing back last weekend

Great posts RHB and agree with the half back line actually - Downey can be a Brian hogan of sorts, allowing wing backs to hurl more, score more

Midfield focus has to be on Brian Roche - he’ll double our tackle count single handedly!

Started for cork u21 back in 2016 I think. Will be 28 next year if I have the year right, so might be too late to make the step up to inter county at this stage.