Time for Cork to Embrace Dual Players Again?

[Mr. Monty]

I think now is the perfect time for Conor Counihan and Denis Walsh to sit down with their selectors and trainers and sketch out a regime that would allow for the return of the dual player in Cork.

With our footballers so close to All Ireland glory and our hurlers in need of some freshening up it would be great to see both teams gaining the advantage of a few players who are equally talented in both codes.

Of course, when it comes to championship, should one or both teams end up in the back door then there may be scenarios where players can only play with one of the teams on a particular weekend but this could all be ironed out in advance or failing that set Francis on Croker to change the schedule...

 

[Corcaigh32]

Agreed.

 

[micky]

An excellant idea. Nice work Mr Monty

 

[rebelicecreamman]

I would have agreed but I was recently talking to a current cork hurler (and former dual player) on this very subject and Eoin Cadogan's situation in particular. He felt it simply couldn't be done, even by a young guy for a limited time period.

 

[moccork]

I would have agreed but I was recently talking to a current cork hurler (and former dual player) on this very subject and Eoin Cadogan's situation in particular. He felt it simply couldn't be done, even by a young guy for a limited time period.

I was in Limerick a few days ago and was talking about it to a few lads and they gave the example of Stephen Lucey whos form deteriorated completely month by month as the yr went on. He was fine early on in yr but when it came to serious months (end july-august) he was struggling badly. He missed club championship H &F as a result of breaking down after long season trying to mix both. It is hard to know but only DW and CC can decide.

 

[volunteer]

With the right routines/diet and support. Their should be not reason why not.

 

[mightyquark]

Dual players???
I thought this was a Donal Og thread....
I do apologise.

 

[Rebelred]

With the right routines/diet and support. Their should be not reason why not.

skill.

thats the main thing that will suffer. Transitioning from one to the other is easy in theory, but try play a hurling game after two weeks of football training, your touch will be miles off the required pace, at Intercounty level nowadays, you'd be found out in an instant. The reverse also works. I know people say that there is less skill in football but there is skill all the same. If you haven't spent enough time hitting those 30 yard kick passes accurately in training with the rest of your team mates, then they'll be a step ahead of you in the pecking order. Positionally, you'll be in a different mode of thinking for both codes too.
So in theory, it's a great idea, but given the effort put in put players into each code at Intercounty level these days, only the extremely gifted could manage to pull it off successfully.

Want proof, have a look at Tipps first goal V Limerick in the semi final this year... name the full back and ask yourself what he was doing half the summer.

 

[Mr. Monty]

With the right routines/diet and support. Their should be not reason why not.

I agree, at the very worst the dual players could make one a priority but maybe be available for the other. In Stephen Lucey's case he would have had to deal with the back door in both codes too which would have taken its toll I suppose.

In reality, with a decent draw in both codes there's no reason why we couldn't make both Munster Finals and that would cut down the number of games dramatically.

 

[Mr. Monty]

skill.

thats the main thing that will suffer. Transitioning from one to the other is easy in theory, but try play a hurling game after two weeks of football training, your touch will be miles off the required pace, at Intercounty level nowadays, you'd be found out in an instant. The reverse also works. I know people say that there is less skill in football but there is skill all the same. If you haven't spent enough time hitting those 30 yard kick passes accurately in training with the rest of your team mates, then they'll be a step ahead of you in the pecking order. Positionally, you'll be in a different mode of thinking for both codes too.
So in theory, it's a great idea, but given the effort put in put players into each code at Intercounty level these days, only the extremely gifted could manage to pull it off successfully.

Want proof, have a look at Tipps first goal V Limerick in the semi final this year... name the full back and ask yourself what he was doing half the summer.

Well that would be the challenge to the team coaches and trainers to come up with the right blend while eliminating the possibility of burnout.