Luke Connolly in line for a recall by Cork football boss John Cleary

PICKING the Cork football team for next year, this far out, is akin to predicting next season’s panic buys at Manchester United, as there are just too many variables to consider. 

One thing is for certain though, Cork manager John Cleary will not be short on options.

Between emerging young players, players returning from lengthy injury lay-offs and the prospect of a few former players coming back in from the cold, Cleary has plenty of ammunition to bolster the Cork arsenal for 2023, and it is the potential recall of those ex-players that might make for the most interesting talking points in the months ahead.

The biggest, and most obvious one in this category, is Luke Connolly. 

The Nemo Rangers sharpshooter is easily one of the most talented footballers in the county but last year Keith Ricken did not see him as part of his plans for 2022. 

John Cleary will be the manager for 2023, so it remains to be seen whether the Castlehaven man envisages a role for Connolly going forward.

He will be 30 years of age come next year’s championship, and while not a spring chicken, that certainly is not too old to warrant a comeback. Perhaps the biggest obstacle to Connolly’s return is his mercurial way of playing. 

It’s all or nothing with Connolly – either a moment of genius or a costly turnover. 

In an age when stats men are becoming more and more influential, pointing to kick-out stats and turnover stats as the main difference between success and failure, carrying someone with Connolly’s sense of adventure can be uncomfortable for some managers.

Considering Cork are well stacked in the shooting department, with Steven Sherlock after enjoying a genuine breakthrough year as Cork’s go-to guy, and Brian Hurley and Cathail O’Mahony offering the perfect blend of experience and youthful exuberance alongside him, there is no huge need for another scoring forward close to goal. 

That’s not to say Connolly could not offer something playing in a deeper, playmaking role from centre-forward, although to perform this role he would have to tone down the ‘miracle balls’ and keep it simple.

It would be no great surprise if Cleary were to have a word with his own club man Michael Hurley about coming back into the fold for next year as well. 

In the past, his pace and directness made him the perfect impact sub for Cork, and while that might have been frustrating for the player, it is an extremely important role in the modern game and is one that he could fulfill again, if willing.

The White brothers from Clonakilty were also not part of the panel in 2022 and if they were to return they would greatly improve Cleary’s options.

The fact that Dylan Foley was the sub goalkeeper that was introduced in the Munster championship defeat to Kerry when Micheál Aodh Martin had to retire injured in the 24th minute was telling, given that Foley does not even play in goals for his club Éire Óg. 

Foley did well on the day, but there can be no denying that Mark White would certainly increase the netminding options should he return.

One of the areas where Cork can make quick gains, in terms of catching up to the likes of Kerry and Dublin, is in improving their kick-out percentages, and you would have to think that a full-time goalkeeper would be key to achieving this. 

SWEEPER KEEPER

And also, given White’s ability to play the keeper sweeper role he could give Cork a few extra strings to their bow in possession.

His brother Sean can fill a number of positions in the middle eight, and given Cork’s injury record that is a very useful characteristic, as you never know when and where a hole needs to be filled in the side.

If Cleary wants to get more mature, experienced bodies into the set-up then he might be tempted to recall Tadhg MacCárthaigh’s Brian O’Driscoll and Bantry Blue’s Ruairi Deane. 

Such moves might be seen as retrograde steps by many but for such a young panel lacking in natural leaders, it might be extremely tempting for Cleary to make those phone calls.

In truth it is likely to be the fit again contingent like Sean Meehan, Liam O’Donovan, Killian O’Hanlon and Conor Corbett who are going to strengthen the panel next year. 

Cleary is unlikely to want to increase the age profile of the panel too much, but one or two recalls could end up being good business for Cork football.