Cork hurling squad update: Mark Coleman could yet make championship with Alan Connolly ruled out for the league too
Alan Connolly of Cork celebrates after scoring his side's opening goal during the Munster SJC clash against Tipperary at FBD Semple Stadium this year. Picture: George Tewkesbury/Sportsfile
Cork hurling manager Pat Ryan is hopeful that Mark Coleman may be able to play some part of the 2023 championship – however, both he and Alan Connolly will definitely miss the Allianz Hurling League campaign.
It had been feared that Blarney clubman Coleman would miss the entire inter-county season after undergoing a knee operation, but Cork expect that the half-back should be available to play again in early June if the Rebels emerge from the Munster championship.
“Mark had a cartilage injury in his knee,” Ryan says.
“He went through a procedure last week and he’s going to be out for all of the national league anyway but we’d be hopeful that he’d be able to play some part of the championship.
“The round-robin section of the Munster championship might come too quickly but we’d be hoping to have him back for June anyway.
“It was an injury that he picked up during the league last year and it got worse during the club championship. It’s the kind of one that, if a non-athlete had it, it’d be no problem, you could work away grand but you need to sort it for sprinting and turning and things like that.
“He’ll be back in plenty of time in terms of running, but you just have to avoid contact for five or six months.
With Coleman having been vice-captain to Patrick Horgan in 2021 and then skipper last year – succeeded by Seán O’Donoghue for 2023 – Ryan is looking for other players to fill the leadership void that his absence will leave in the spring.
“You’re looking for fellas to step up now,” he says.
“Obviously, it’s a big loss for Mark personally, as he had put so much time into it. He’s worked very hard in the gym over the last few months, so that’s disappointing.
“He was captain in the 2022 season, so it’s a big loss in terms of leadership. It’s not going to be one fella steps up and gives that, we need everybody to add their bit to it.”
Unfortunately for Cork, they will have to do without Connolly during the league as well, though Ryan is optimistic that the Blackrock player won’t be on the sidelines for as long as Coleman.
“Alan will be will miss all of the league too,” he says. “We’d be hoping to have him back for the start of April, all going well. Alan has a shoulder problem that he’s been playing with for 18 months and he just needs to get it sorted at this stage.
“He’s had his operation and he’s recovering now for four weeks and then back into rehab in mid-to-late January.”
Cork begin their 2023 season with a trip to Austin Stack Park in Tralee on Thursday, January 5 to take on Kerry in the Co-op SuperStores Munster Hurling League. Their other game in that competition is a home tie against Limerick in Páirc Uí Rinn on Sunday, January 15.
In between, there is the traditional Canon O’Brien Cup meeting against UCC at the Mardyke on Tuesday, January 10 at 7pm.
With a number of Cork players involved with UCC and MTU Cork for the inter-varsity GAA championship season, Ryan and his management team are currently carrying a squad of 40 or so players.
Connolly’s brother Gavin, chosen in goal on the Reardens All-Stars hurling team after a great season with Blackrock, is among those training, along with fellow Rockies player Cathal Cormack.
From county champions St Finbarr’s, Ethan Twomey, Ben Cunningham and Brian Hayes have been added, along with Eoin Downey (Glen Rovers), the younger brother of Robert.
Declan Dalton returns after a superb season in helping Fr O’Neills to win the county SAHC and Conor O’Callaghan (Dromtarriffe) and Cormac Beausang (Midleton) are others that are also likely to feature in the opening games.
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