Cork Minor Hurlers 2025

[Killyoursons]

I've seen all the games. Not in person but on TV courtesy of TG4s youtube channel.

Once again I never mentioned the coaching of any particular player, rather the coaching and tactics of the entire team.
I don't think Cork tactics v Waterford were similar to Clares tactics v Cork.
I also don't think Corks intensity levels around ruck balls and tackling in numbers in that game were in the same ball park as Clares were yesterday. It looked at times like Clare had several extra players on the pitch. They were literally swarming Cork players with the ball. It was obviously part of the Clares management's tactics.

I didn't suggest that Cork used the same tactics v Waterford as Clare did yesterday. What I said was that in both games v Waterford Cork displayed plenty of ability in terms of winning dirty ball and tackling in groups. They might not have matched the levels Clare brought yesterday, but the conclusion that they were not coached in these aspects of the game is a v big leap to make imo.

Imo what Cork lacked yesterday which had been seen in other matches, and which most directly affected the way the match went, were two things: winning breaking ball in the HF line and midfield, and tackling their opponents or flicking the ball away before they had the chance to run past the Cork player or get the ball away. Once the Cork players had to chase back towards their own goal they found it much harder to tackle without fouling.

It's not a new innovation by the way, it's been de rigueur since 2006 and bar Pat Ryan teams it seems to be a surprise when it happens to any other Cork team. The consistent failure of all Cork teams to deal with this style across all levels for 20 years is clearly a failure of the underage systems in place, our structures and ultimately since they failed even at half time to address what was going on, of management.

I think you're exaggerating the 'consistent failure' to deal with this style. Cork have won four underage AIs this decade, and it's not like those teams never had to deal with swarm tackling. Granted the team and management didn't find a way to deal with it yesterday, but again that doesn't show they weren't coached properly - it shows that a v good opposing team did it (and some other things) better on the day.

Those Cork lads are every bit as good as those Clare lads. They showed so on the first match. They were let down by the tactics and style they were instructed to play in and the inability of management to react to what was going on, on the pitch.

I agree that management were a bit slow to react to what was happening. I've never said they got everything right. I'm saying that looking at the campaign as a while, they did a pretty good job (or so it seems from my external viewpoint). I would say that both Clare and Waterford have also had good campaigns, but one of them will be going home empty-handed having lost three games.

 

[JimmyBarrySmurph]

Show me where grandpa.
Otherwise shut your hole.

Rail away into the teenage boys there sure..
Put it up on TikTok..

 

[The Dagda]

Rail away into the teenage boys there sure..
Put it up on TikTok..

So you can't.
F off you tool.

 

[JimmyBarrySmurph]

So you can't.
F off you tool.

Leave the young boys alone…
Some specimens round Blackrock seem to have a problem with that..

 

[The Dagda]

Cork have won four underage AIs this decade, and

One under Furlong, minor 2021. That's one minor title in 23 years.
Two U20s under Pat Ryan, an exception to the rule. His teams can play that style and do. 2020, the first in 22 years and 2021.
One under O Connor, 2023, backboned by the minor winners of 2021.
I wouldn't be getting too excited about those stats. Especially since they appear to be drying up.

 

[The Dagda]

Leave the young boys alone…
Some specimens round Blackrock seem to have a problem with that..

Reported.
Bye.

 

[Pooman]

Some snowflakes on here. Nobody said anything negative about any player yet fellas are outraged by other fellas saying some players played well (and therefore I assume the implication is other players didn't play quite so well). Dear God.

 

[Twiceasnice97]

I've seen all the games. Not in person but on TV courtesy of TG4s youtube channel.

Once again I never mentioned the coaching of any particular player, rather the coaching and tactics of the entire team.
I don't think Cork tactics v Waterford were similar to Clares tactics v Cork.
I also don't think Corks intensity levels around ruck balls and tackling in numbers in that game were in the same ball park as Clares were yesterday. It looked at times like Clare had several extra players on the pitch. They were literally swarming Cork players with the ball. It was obviously part of the Clares management's tactics.

It's not a new innovation by the way, it's been de rigueur since 2006 and bar Pat Ryan teams it seems to be a surprise when it happens to any other Cork team. The consistent failure of all Cork teams to deal with this style across all levels for 20 years is clearly a failure of the underage systems in place, our structures and ultimately since they failed even at half time to address what was going on, of management.

Those Cork lads are every bit as good as those Clare lads. They showed so on the first match. They were let down by the tactics and style they were instructed to play in and the inability of management to react to what was going on, on the pitch.

Ah. I get you now.
You have a bee in your bonnet about this issue with Cork teams and regardless of the facts the minute cork lose you pull out the hobby horse and wave it over your head.

Fergal McCormack and his management produced a top class minor team. They won 5 match's in a row playing a really good style of hurling.
On the 6th day they last by 2 pts against a very good side that spent the entire period since tulla changing the personnel and tactics specifically to beat cork.

They fought it out to the bitter end in a high pressure environment.
The full back was at the heart of that . He was beaten all day but never quit the task and despite him being yellow carded the management had the courage to trust him.

If that minor management aren't good enough for you after this year I would advise you to go follow some other pursuit because you've lost the plot.
The real issue is that McCormack is now gone and all his experience gone with him from the minor competition

 

[JimmyBarrySmurph]

The real issue is that McCormack is now gone and all his experience gone with him from the minor competition

That’s A big issue with the rolling coaches system in Rebel Og and it happens in a lot of clubs. We should be appointing coaches at minor for a 2/3 year period

 

[The Dagda]

Ah. I get you now.
You have a bee in your bonnet about this issue with Cork teams and regardless of the facts the minute cork lose you pull out the hobby horse and wave it over your head.

Fergal McCormack and his management produced a top class minor team. They won 5 match's in a row playing a really good style of hurling.
On the 6th day they last by 2 pts against a very good side that spent the entire period since tulla changing the personnel and tactics specifically to beat cork.

They fought it out to the bitter end in a high pressure environment.
The full back was at the heart of that . He was beaten all day but never quit the task and despite him being yellow carded the management had the courage to trust him.

If that minor management aren't good enough for you after this year I would advise you to go follow some other pursuit because you've lost the plot.
The real issue is that McCormack is now gone and all his experience gone with him from the minor competition

Regardless of what facts?
One win in over 20 years?
That fact?
No real tactical switch after half time?
That fact?
Beat Clare by 3-24 to 3-17 in the first round?
That fact?

Does the fault all lie with the management?
No, but the lack of changes and tactics when a blind man could see we were struggling does.

Yes, it's a bug bear of mine.
Why? Because I watched a fair bit of club juvenile and the way it is played reffed and coached down here is different to the rest of Munster.
You can defend the management and by extension the whole system all you want but in the end that Clare team looked vastly superior to Cork and never looked like losing but they were not vastly superior.
That comes back to management, coaching and setups.