The Cork selectors are a huge problem, they are over conservative and revert to type far too much, they went with an out of form Mark Coleman over Ger Millerick when selecting for yesterday. Also as I stated before the game when selecting the team they had at least 3 options showing better form for wing-forward but decided on Seamus Harnedy for a match practice session in a game that has to be treated as a must win. They consistently throw on too many subs within a short time frame late on and regularly make poor decisions.
In a minefield of battle and down a player they play Darragh Fitz as a sweeper and left John Conlon free. Fitzy didn't show well as a sweeper in the past but Tommy O'Connell is a player the sweeper role suits and O'Connell is a huge addition in many other positions but obviously not in the eyes of the selectors.
I believe Eoin Downey is versatile but not an all out full-back yet. The management shouldn't be thinking because he got an All Star last year he starts every game there and shouldn't be switched during a game. In the league game v Clare the Cork selectors should have swapped both Downeys when Duggan was bettering Eoin even if it was only for 10/15 minutes as Cork were well on top, any versatile player struggling in a position on a particular day should be switched first before being replaced because of a yellow card. Ciaran Joyce should be looked at as an option for full-back, it's disappointing he has never been tried in a few matches. Eoin at such a young age should be lessened of the responsibility of playing every game there and allowed play in other positions so he enjoys his game more. I believe he's in a poor vein of form and a switch would suit and benefit him as well as the team but Sunday v Tipp might be too soon to make the change. Start Eoin at full-back but the likes of Joyce and Millerick have to be considered to swap with him at certain times in the game. The reason I refer to this dip in form is that he was injured earlier in the year and struggled and then also struggled in the League final on Jason Forde, I don't believe it has been all down to the strength of Peter Duggan.
. Jaysus scraping the barrel there boy!! We are flaky as f*uck and amount of close games lost bears this out. Won’t be winning all irelands any time soon with a group that loses 13 point leads.
