North Cork and bluesball
The whole Cork team were battered by KK in the 1982 final, Cork were over confident and without a game on their way to the AI final after an overwhelming win v Waterford in the Munster final so highlighting Tony O'Sullivan only in that game to defend any players non-involvement is meaningless. Tim Crowley was MOM in the '78 final on Frank Cummins and he got physically done by Cummins in '82 and had to retire early, he was a huge loss not alone to the physical engine of the team. AFAIR Tony Sull suffered from an illness for quite a while in 1983 and in '84 he was Cork's best forward in the AI final receiving the RTE MOM award although most folk thought Johnny Crawley was MOM. Did it ever dawn on ye that the '82 final could have stood in good stead to Tony in '84? This is what development is about.
Barry Egan was only 19 when he scored 4 points v Limerick in the '92 Munster Final, I believe if he started or was introduced in that years AI final Cork would have defeated KK, although again the selectors got it wrong in too many positions that day. Pat Hartnett had to start along with either Manley or Egan while swapping Fitzgibbon and Hennessy was a disaster.
Adam Screeney wasn't the standout forward for Offaly last Sunday but Charlie Mitchell did stand out and Mitchell played for Offaly seniors last year and sometimes struggled. He also struggled and was replaced in the U-20 final when marked by Shane Kingston but is an improving player this year. Like Buckley, Kingston is also not on the Cork senior panel and he's gone from U-20. Screeney struggled on Mikey Butler in the AI club semi but Offaly management were not put off and still start him with Mitchell and Dan Ravenhill, Cathal King is also playing in mid-field and they have an U-20 corner back, neither of them are big men but they are receiving key development time. Screeney scored a cracking point from play on the sideline last Sunday. Mitchell is U-21 and both Screeny and Ravenhill are a year younger than William Buckley but Buckley can't get on the Cork panel, absolute jokeshop! Anyway who stated anything about starting Buckley in every game like the Offaly boys but the Cork management don't think he merits any game time on a mediocre senior team although there would be much older and physically developed players around him which is quite the opposite to Offaly.
The skills of the Cork team v Waterford were very poor, we all know that ground hurling is unfortunately a thing of the past but flicking a ball into space on the ground is still a skill of Limerick, KK and Tipp. Waterford were superior than Cork at it last Sunday. Certain players touch and accuracy remains poor in most games, at the levels he has played William Buckley is ahead in these key ingredients of the game but the management only think they need to wrap him in cotton wool for the next 3 years or so.
North Cork what you're stating as fact isn't fact at all its just an opinion like mine and others. Like I said I believe Buckley is very likely to struggle full-forward and I don't really know why Cork U-20's played him there last Sunday. If you currently start Buckley on the senior team I believe he would suffocate with all the handpassing back and sideway. Imagine him in the first half v KK or even in the 1st half last Sunday I believe he would struggle but him coming on in the 2nd half instead of Kingston is an entirely different story. We all know what Kingston can do at senior level, why not use league games to see what William Buckley do firstly as an impact sub. Cork have to change and I don't see it based on what I've viewed already.
