Cork Hurlers - Part 2

[Corkonian1]

junior footballer

There has been issues with selecting Cork teams for a long time, it is a huge problem. Basically Cork selectors have not been good enough, too many ex players of the same generation due to it being the onus of the manager and no criteria in place by County Board and Rebel Og.

There are loads of issues that need to be addressed which are more complicated and political than selecting a trophy winning team/panel like the riding they are getting from referees and the hierarchy.

Fistly let's address correcting the selectors issues which the management can improve by addressing with real purpose.

The good points from 2024 are that Cork have got a lot stronger down the middle with Collins, the Downeys, Barrett and Connolly all showing up well and of course getting to an AI final which everyone should learn from at least.

For next year Pat Ryan needs to identify the 6 or 7 players on the current panel not going to make a real difference if any possibility of titles are to be won. In my opinion those players are Conor O'Callaghan, Damien Cahalane, Cormac O'Brien, Luke Meade, Eoin Carey, Conor Cahalane and maybe 1 or 2 others. He needs to identify 9 or 10 new players for a winter training panel whereby 6/7 replace the 6 or 7 dropped when challenging for a League title or Munster/AI title. I would go with Shane Kingston, Cillian Tobin, David Griffin, Cian Darcy, Daniel Hogan, William Buckley, Colin O'Brien, Diarmuid Healy, Jack Leahy, Fionn Coleman.

Players already on the panel and who should remain such as Eoin Roche, Brian Roche, Cathal McCarthy, Daire O'Leary, Micheal Mullins, Ben Cunningham, Sean Twomey, Padraig Power & Robbie Cotter need to be promoted with league games next year. In turn players such as Sean O'Donoghue, Seamus Harnedy, Jack O'Connor, Robbie O'Flynn, Patrick Horgan to see less game time in the league.

I believe this to be a decent base to work off with a purpose to firstly trying their utmost to win the league.

 

[StoneHouse]

With respect Corkonian, some of those players who you suggest come onto the panel are laughable suggestions, I'd question what hurling you are watching Colin O'Brien? David Griffin? Buckley and Healy are the only two who'd be actually anywhere near it.

 

[junior footballer]

I agree to a large extent Corkonian, it will be interest of to see if any of the players you mentioned are let go, we could argue about the merits of one or two for sure but based on the last 2 years I would doubt if we will see many players changed to be honest

 

[Twiceasnice97]

With respect Corkonian, some of those players who you suggest come onto the panel are laughable suggestions, I'd question what hurling you are watching Colin O'Brien? David Griffin? Buckley and Healy are the only two who'd be actually anywhere near it.

Colin O Brien captained Mary I to beat UL in a fitzgibbon final. when you consider the players he had with him in that squad i would be taking that a bit more seriously than players hurling well at under 20 in a squad thats better than most opposition to be honest. Hes also very different in type to a lot of the cork forward options.
Healey i would 100% agree with your opinion but Buckley is more of the same as whats already in the squad coming off the bench surely. Small, tidy skills, uses the hurley to gather possession a lot, bit of pace good striker of the ball etc

 

[Twiceasnice97]

junior footballer

There has been issues with selecting Cork teams for a long time, it is a huge problem. Basically Cork selectors have not been good enough, too many ex players of the same generation due to it being the onus of the manager and no criteria in place by County Board and Rebel Og.

There are loads of issues that need to be addressed which are more complicated and political than selecting a trophy winning team/panel like the riding they are getting from referees and the hierarchy.

Fistly let's address correcting the selectors issues which the management can improve by addressing with real purpose.

The good points from 2024 are that Cork have got a lot stronger down the middle with Collins, the Downeys, Barrett and Connolly all showing up well and of course getting to an AI final which everyone should learn from at least.

For next year Pat Ryan needs to identify the 6 or 7 players on the current panel not going to make a real difference if any possibility of titles are to be won. In my opinion those players are Conor O'Callaghan, Damien Cahalane, Cormac O'Brien, Luke Meade, Eoin Carey, Conor Cahalane and maybe 1 or 2 others. He needs to identify 9 or 10 new players for a winter training panel whereby 6/7 replace the 6 or 7 dropped when challenging for a League title or Munster/AI title. I would go with Shane Kingston, Cillian Tobin, David Griffin, Cian Darcy, Daniel Hogan, William Buckley, Colin O'Brien, Diarmuid Healy, Jack Leahy, Fionn Coleman.

Players already on the panel and who should remain such as Eoin Roche, Brian Roche, Cathal McCarthy, Daire O'Leary, Micheal Mullins, Ben Cunningham, Sean Twomey, Padraig Power & Robbie Cotter need to be promoted with league games next year. In turn players such as Sean O'Donoghue, Seamus Harnedy, Jack O'Connor, Robbie O'Flynn, Patrick Horgan to see less game time in the league.

I believe this to be a decent base to work off with a purpose to firstly trying their utmost to win the league.

if cork are going to win an all ireland it will be with maybe 2 or so changes and small incremental improvements

 

[Corkonian1]

StoneHouse

The guys on the panel like Micheal Mullins, Daire O'Leary, Sean Twomey, Padraig Power, Brian & Eoin Roche etc. have to see game time above all else. I mentioned before how slow transition is in Cork and too many players from a successful U-20 team looked at rather than guys in their mid twenties.

The guys you dont rate I believe 1 of them was already approached. Also Colin O'Brien at U-20 was even more promising than Sean Twomey. A player such as David Griffin was a real prospect but plagued with injury and IMO he's ahead of the likes of James Dwyer, Tadhg O'Connell and Brian Keating who have been proposed by posters on here. The Carrigaline manager Eddie Murphy rates Daire King as among the best corner-backs in the county and Cork need to develop players for this position big time.

Tom Hanley and Brian O'Sullivan are worth a run but it appears one has a long term injury and the other won't be available.

junior footballer

I see where you are coming from but this weakness is what I've pointed out regarding Cork selectors.

 

[Corkonian1]

if cork are going to win an all ireland it will be with maybe 2 or so changes and small incremental improvements

I would agree with this, I would go with 2/3 changes but that is to the team. A lot more needs to be done regarding the overall squad.

 

[North Cork]

thats absolutely insane

I think Jimmym is correct. Limerick are always concerned when playing Cork but confident when playing Clare.

I think most Limerick people would agree.

 

[North Cork]

StoneHouse

The guys on the panel like Micheal Mullins, Daire O'Leary, Sean Twomey, Padraig Power, Brian & Eoin Roche etc. have to see game time above all else. I mentioned before how slow transition is in Cork and too many players from a successful U-20 team looked at rather than guys in their mid twenties.

The guys you dont rate I believe 1 of them was already approached. Also Colin O'Brien at U-20 was even more promising than Sean Twomey. A player such as David Griffin was a real prospect but plagued with injury and IMO he's ahead of the likes of James Dwyer, Tadhg O'Connell and Brian Keating who have been proposed by posters on here. The Carrigaline manager Eddie Murphy rates Daire King as among the best corner-backs in the county and Cork need to develop players for this position big time.

Tom Hanley and Brian O'Sullivan are worth a run but it appears one has a long term injury and the other won't be available.

junior footballer

I see where you are coming from but this weakness is what I've pointed out regarding Cork selectors.

Not every under 20 player will graduate to the senior team.
This year we have had Downey, O Connell, Joyce, E Twomey, S Twomey, Barrett, Connolly, Hayes and Power all come into the senior team after playing under 20 since 2020.
That is a big influx of players.

Michael Mullins is still only 21 as is Brian Cunningham, 2025 may still be a year too early for them.
Colin O Brien is a huge man and I would love to see him get a run but I would question if he has the immediate turn of pace for this level. Pat Ryan will know more about him than any of us as he coached him with the under 20's.

Pat Ryan and his selectors will be very well aware of the younger players around the county but even on here I don't recollect any one player outside of the existing Cork panel that posters are saying should be brought in.

 

[North Cork]

O Mahony isnt quick
Connolly and Hayes are mobile and not restricted by pace but no defender is afraid of their speed.

Fitzgibbon and barrett are the only two fast cork players up front until the cavalry come off the bench

as regards the age thats very true.
the starting team has a lot of mature players in it which helped enormously
30
21 30 22
25 34 32
32 31
31 23 28
30 24 31

the subs that played
22, 23, 28, 31, 27, 31,22 ,23

we definitely have a rebuild to do soon but i think we have the players to do it.

I think you should ask any defenders that have marked Connolly if they think he hasn't got speed ?
I think you are wrong about the others as well.