Cork hurling: Picking a championship 15 midway through the league

CORK manager Pat Ryan said after the recent win over Waterford that he’d be looking to hone his championship 15 in the remaining league games with Offaly and Wexford.

Given he’s started 29 players across the three outings to date and has a panel of 37, that’s a job of work for the selectors. Naturally, they’ll have the spine of their team for the Munster arena in mind already, especially as 10 hurlers started all four group games in 2023.

One of that contingent, Darragh Fitzgibbon, hasn’t seen any league action but is set to be available for the trip to the Faithful County. The situation was complicated at the weekend when the news broke of a jaw injury to Mark Coleman in a Kerry-based training camp.

It’s a cruel blow to Coleman and Cork, given the former captain and 2017 All-Star missed all of last season with a knee injury but showed flashes of his wristy brilliance against Kilkenny and Waterford.

The target now is to be recuperated for championship. Robbie O’Flynn is also marked absent for now with another hamstring issue after that problem disrupted his 2023 campaign but should be back in situ by April.

ROOKIES

Trying to pick a championship line-up, with a few fresh faces, isn’t easy.

Patrick Collins will hold off newcomer Brion Saunderson for the goalkeeper geansaí, Seán O’Donoghue is the captain, Ciarán Joyce is the defensive anchor and Ger Millerick is the team’s best man-marker. Size is important as well, so at least two from Eoin and Rob Downey, Tim O’Mahony and Damien Cahalane will be required, and it will be between Eoin Roche and Niall O’Leary for one of the corner-back berths. Coleman’s selection will hinge on his fitness.

Tommy O’Connell has been a league standout and will probably partner Fitzgibbon at midfield, though Brian Roche is in the mix there.

Ethan Twomey’s recent injury makes it difficult to see the Barrs man as a championship starter.

Further up, Conor Lehane and Patrick Horgan have been ever-present to date, Seamus Harnedy’s ball-winning renders him indispensable and Seán Twomey has shown enough power and appetite for work lately to push him to the fore.

Lehane hit 0-4 in the loss to Kilkenny but what was more interesting was his deployment as a deep-lying 11 against the wind in the Clare and Waterford games, where his skill was utilised to spray passes instead of shooting from range.

Horgan has shown, despite turning 36 in May, he’s capable of getting out in front of his man to secure possession but his finishing hasn’t been as crisp as usual. A return of 1-1 from play reflects that, but you’d be surprised if Cork didn’t have him at full-forward for the Munster opener at Walsh Park.

Declan Dalton used the league to nail down a starting berth in 2023 and Brian Hayes and Jack O’Connor could do likewise between here and April if they can build on their displays in the Páirc recently.

Both will be hoping to be in the 15 picked for Tullamore on Sunday, while Dalton might be included as a sub. Alan Connolly is another classy forward who, like Coleman, was out last year through injury, and his goal threat shouldn’t be underestimated.

Is the best approach with the forwards to start the veterans Lehane, Harnedy and Horgan and just adjust depending on circumstances?

Shane Barrett brings a lot of last-quarter energy when he’s not a starter and Shane Kingston is an option in either role.

STARTING 15 FOR WALSH PARK

Patrick Collins;

Eoin Roche, Damien Cahalane, Eoin Downey;

Ger Millerick, Ciarán Joyce, Rob Downey;

Darragh Fitzgibbon, Tommy O’Connell;

Seán Twomey, Conor Lehane, Seámus Harnedy;

Jack O’Connor, Patrick Horgan, Alan Connolly.

We’re assuming Mark Coleman, Seán O'Donoghue, Declan Dalton and Robbie O’Flynn won’t be rushed back from injury.