Cork hurling analysis: Declan Dalton showed what he's capable of while newcomers shone again

EVERY game has its own narrative but it was fascinating to see what difference a positional switch made for Deccie Dalton in the win over Galway. 

While he snatched a brilliant goal with a ground pull against Limerick at corner-forward, he was a peripheral in general play due to a lack of supply.

He wore the number 10 geansaí at Pearse Stadium and within 10 minutes had three possessions further out the field including an assist for Conor Lehane's goal. By the end of the first half, he had scored 0-3 from play, set up a point, landed two monster frees and also teed up Shane Barrett for a driving shot that rebounded to safety from the crossbar. Galway switched Pádraic Mannion across to left wing-back to try and halt his dominance.

In the second half, Dalton picked up where he left off and showed his prowess as a target man after being shifted to the D for the last 20 minutes. 

He added another three from play and assisted a pair of Lehane points. While he was unwise to lash out and pick up a yellow just after soaring to the clouds and fetching a high ball, he was a worthy choice as TG4 Man of the Match.

After stepping away from the Cork panel in 2022, his SAHC-winning campaign with Fr O'Neills and getting a clean bill of health clearly refreshed the powerhouse 25-year-old. The majority of Dalton's senior championships appearances have been off the bench, including big contributions against Limerick in 2019 and Kilkenny in 2021, so it'll be interesting to see what role the current management has in mind for him this summer.

Pat Ryan's tenure as Cork bainisteoir is off to a dream start, with Munster Senior Hurling League success followed by league wins over Limerick and Galway. Cork fans have been burned by spring promise failing to blossom before. 

This was a fairly experimental line-up with Patrick Horgan and Damien Cahalane's late withdrawals through injury, especially with Robbie O'Flynn, Darragh Fitzgibbon, Seamus Harnedy, Tim O'Mahony, Alan Connolly, Seán O'Donoughue and Mark Coleman already in the treatment ward. None of the full-back line, Conor O'Callaghan, Eoin Downey and Eoin Roche, had previously played championship. Tommy O'Connell, Cormac O'Brien, Sam Quirke, Brian Roche, Seán Twomey and Cormac Beausang are all trying to establish themselves as well.

It's not that Galway were at full strength either, Henry Shefflin auditioning rookies like the lively McManus who nabbed 1-3, but league victories are far more substantial when selectors are looking at their options.

This trip to the west was decided in the five minutes after half-time when Cork plundered 2-3 without reply and Galway were reduced to 14. The game tipped along from there, referee Johnny Murphy giving a lot of marginal calls to Galway and Cork guilty of over-elaboration in the last third. 

When sub Pádraig Power released Seán Twomey to put Cork 4-22 to 1-21 ahead as the clock wound down, supporters would have been forgiven for hitting the road back to Leeside but Galway exploited Cork's additional-time sloppiness, hitting 2-1 and earning a penalty which Patrick Collins brilliantly saved. 

While those five minutes were frustrating, it was no harm as it put Cork's win in context, this is still unquestionably 'only the league'. 

Aside from Dalton's immense showing, there were still plenty of positives. After struggling to make the sliotar stick against Limerick, Lehane finished with 2-3, had four assists and was fouled for a converted free. Ciarán Joyce continues to hurl up a storm from centre-back and Shane Kingston ran himself into the ground for 50 minutes.

BACK ON FORM

It was encouraging to see Shane Barrett rediscover the form that saw him make a breakthrough in 2021, not just because he lanced over 0-4 and lay on Twomey's first goal. His work-rate was superb.

Rookie Brian Roche was the pick of the Cork midfielders, processing a lot of possession and setting up Lehane's second goal. O'Callghan and Downey were under pressure in the first quarter but didn't put a foot wrong after that. Cork continue to go direct where possible and hit their inside line with angled ball.

There was real intensity to their tackling up front, repeatedly holding up Galway defenders and pouncing on turnovers to produce scores.

It's a work in progress but a promising one.

They've next weekend off before Westmeath in the Páirc on February 26 and matches next month against Wexford at home and Clare away.