Cork Hurlers - Part 2

[Corkfan82]

Interesting team. Strange to see Damien named corner back, Is he going to go in full and Eoin in the corner? Half foward line worries me, no ball winners there and full foward line is rich in potential but outside of Power who is going to win dirty ball. Delighted to see Tim and Hoggy back on the panel, but no Fitzy again

Agree, bar Power, no ball winners in our forwards. Hope they all have great games and prove me wrong on Sunday

 

[Corkfan18]

Would say E Downey and cahalane will play as selected.

Weakish forward line alright, Power and Barrett are flying - the rest really need to dig out a performance.

Serious vote of confidence in Ethan Twomey - most interesting selection for me.

Himself and Roche played really well in midfield against Clare last time out.

 

[Corkonian1]

morello

You're spot on regarding the management laying down the specific challenge to Shane, Jack & Co. You also have it weighed up regarding Ethan Twomey.

One thing regarding KK I have a feeling they're priming Huw Lawlor to mark Gearoid Hegarty later on with Lawlor in the half-back line and Deegan up-field. It may not happen in the league final but they are early with the plan after learning from last years AI final. I can see Richie Reid at centre-back with Lawlor at 7 v the Treaty in this year's championship.

 

[Killyoursons]

Without looking at the other comments, I have to say that line-up has me worried. To be fair, the single biggest weakness (the light-looking front six) is partly a result of rotten luck with injuries. It makes sense not to risk Dalton or Harnedy after taking them off last week, and to be cautious about bring Tim back. But add that to Twomey, Fitzgibbon and O'Flynn all being out as well, and there is a serious shortage of ball-winners up there. If KK squeeze up on the Cork defence and midfield and deny them room to look up and play balls into space, that forward line could struggle to win much ball at all. The only obvious change which occurs to me would have been to play Hayes on the wing - I wouldn't class him as a reliable ball-winner but he could at least compete in the air and break some ball.

Some of the other selections have me puzzled. One of O'Callaghan or Eoin Roche has played at corner-back in every match so far (they both played against Galway) - now neither even makes the 26. Really don't think Damien C is suited to playing in the corner, and if they line up as selected the left side of the defence looks vulnerable to nippy forwards.

Positives - great to see Power given another go, if he keeps up his form he must be in with a shout of starting come championship. Ethan Twomey is a bold pick - the safer option would have been to go with Meade. I think Twomey has the potential to be a better all-round player, but I am not sure if he is up to the speed of intercounty hurling yet, so a big challenge for him but a big opportunity as well.

Mixed on the injuries front - good to see Damien C available to play, with Millerick, Tim and Hoggy on the bench. But it's disappointing that Fitzgibbon isn't available - I had gotten the impression that he was in contention to make the bench at least?

So, a raised eyebrow from me, and I definitely see KK as favourites for this one - hopefully I'll get it wrong (not for the first time either). At the very least, I think we can expect the right attitude and work-rate.

 

[cliché comment]

The Cork Senior Hurling Team to play Kilkenny in the Semi Final of Division 1 of the Allianz Hurling League has been announced:

1. Ben O' Connor (St. Finbarrs)
2. Ben O' Connor (St. Finbarrs)
3. Ben O' Connor (St. Finbarrs)
4. Ben O' Connor (St. Finbarrs)
5. Ben O' Connor (St. Finbarrs)
6. Ben O' Connor (St. Finbarrs)
7. Ben O' Connor (St. Finbarrs)
8. Ben O' Connor (St. Finbarrs)
9. Ben O' Connor (St. Finbarrs)
10. Ben O' Connor (St. Finbarrs)
11. Ben O' Connor (St. Finbarrs)
12. Ben O' Connor (St. Finbarrs)
13. Ben O' Connor (St. Finbarrs)
14. Ben O' Connor (St. Finbarrs)
15. Ben O' Connor (St. Finbarrs)
16. Ben O' Connor (St. Finbarrs)
17. Ben O' Connor (St. Finbarrs)
18. Ben O' Connor (St. Finbarrs)
19. Ben O' Connor (St. Finbarrs)
20. Ben O' Connor (St. Finbarrs)
21. Ben O' Connor (St. Finbarrs)
22. Ben O' Connor (St. Finbarrs)
23. Ben O' Connor (St. Finbarrs)
24. Ben O' Connor (St. Finbarrs)
25. Ben O' Connor (St. Finbarrs)
26. Ben O' Connor (St. Finbarrs)

I like the effort that takes dedication

 

[AllCork32]

Free-taker could become an issue this year.

• I personally don't think P.Horgan will start (he's also not impressed so far this yr on the frees).
• S.Kingston has been quite consistent on the frees when he has been starting, it also keeps him in the game at times when he seems to drift out of the game.
• C.Lehane is so inconsistent in both frees and open play and because of that I don't think he's reliable enough to be trusted on the frees.
• A.Connolly would be one of my top contenders to take them if he wasn't injured and it doesn't look like he will feature at all this season anyway.
• D.Dalton would be my candidate but he has only been given a fair shot at the long-range frees so far this season.

We need to have a reliable, consistent and nailed down free-taker before Apr 30th or else we could be badly exposed on them.

 

[Corkonian1]

Killyoursons

Very true regarding neither Con O'Callaghan and Eoin Roche not as a corner-back replacement at least and the same must be said regarding Cathal Cormack for wing-back after having a good game v Clare last Sunday.

However I think the management are correct regarding starting Ethan Twomey over Luke Meade.

 

[morello]

Without looking at the other comments, I have to say that line-up has me worried. To be fair, the single biggest weakness (the light-looking front six) is partly a result of rotten luck with injuries. It makes sense not to risk Dalton or Harnedy after taking them off last week, and to be cautious about bring Tim back. But add that to Twomey, Fitzgibbon and O'Flynn all being out as well, and there is a serious shortage of ball-winners up there. If KK squeeze up on the Cork defence and midfield and deny them room to look up and play balls into space, that forward line could struggle to win much ball at all. The only obvious change which occurs to me would have been to play Hayes on the wing - I wouldn't class him as a reliable ball-winner but he could at least compete in the air and break some ball.

Some of the other selections have me puzzled. One of O'Callaghan or Eoin Roche has played at corner-back in every match so far (they both played against Galway) - now neither even makes the 26. Really don't think Damien C is suited to playing in the corner, and if they line up as selected the left side of the defence looks vulnerable to nippy forwards.

Positives - great to see Power given another go, if he keeps up his form he must be in with a shout of starting come championship. Ethan Twomey is a bold pick - the safer option would have been to go with Meade. I think Twomey has the potential to be a better all-round player, but I am not sure if he is up to the speed of intercounty hurling yet, so a big challenge for him but a big opportunity as well.

Mixed on the injuries front - good to see Damien C available to play, with Millerick, Tim and Hoggy on the bench. But it's disappointing that Fitzgibbon isn't available - I had gotten the impression that he was in contention to make the bench at least?

So, a raised eyebrow from me, and I definitely see KK as favourites for this one - hopefully I'll get it wrong (not for the first time either). At the very least, I think we can expect the right attitude and work-rate.

O’Callaghan injured no? Wouldn’t worry too much about D cahalane and R Downey… it’s a relatively workman-like Kk forward line, and Fogarty & Murphy don’t provide much of an attacking threat either. That is a mean defence they’ve selected though - half back line excellent in the air, long night ahead on our puc outs

 

[morello]

morello

You're spot on regarding the management laying down the specific challenge to Shane, Jack & Co. You also have it weighed up regarding Ethan Twomey.

One thing regarding KK I have a feeling they're priming Huw Lawlor to mark Gearoid Hegarty later on with Lawlor in the half-back line and Deegan up-field. It may not happen in the league final but they are early with the plan after learning from last years AI final. I can see Richie Reid at centre-back with Lawlor at 7 v the Treaty in this year's championship.

Interesting re Lawlor - he’s a savage player… they might be taking a leaf out of Galways book alright.

 

[HurlingFan19]

Massive game for us on Sunday. All the analysis coming into this game is that the Cats will dog out a victory by outworking us. We have to tear into them from the first minute on Sunday. We need to lay down a marker as to how we‘re going to play like for the rest of the year. We especially need a big work rate from our forwards. Rebels Abú!