Cork hurling: What we learned from the trip to Tullamore

CORK took care of business in style in Tullamore at the weekend.

With scoring difference potentially a factor in ensuring a place in next season's Division 1 as the best fourth-placed side between the two groups, they blitzed the hosts to the tune of 27 points. It was impressively clinical, though Offaly are still working their way back to the top table and will compete in the Joe McDonagh Cup in the summer.

The Faithful are leaning heavily on the U20 group that Cork beat last year in the All-Ireland final, while Pat Ryan didn't utilise any of those Rebels last weekend, even if injury has curbed Ben Cunningham and Micheál Mullins' participation to date. 

Adam Screeney is a a prodigious young forward and a serious handful at his own age grade but at 19 was completely outfoxed by Niall O'Leary on this occasion.

O'Leary's solid showing highlights just how difficult it will be for Cork to finalise their starting 15 for the Munster opener at Walsh Park next month. Captain Seán O'Donoghue is out injured for now, but you also have Eoin Downey, Damien Cahalane and Eoin Roche as viable options in the full-back line. 

We had a stab at a championship and didn't have O'Leary in it but on the evidence in Offaly, the Castlelyons defender will be there come throw-in against Waterford.

Of course, the A versus B games at training in the coming weeks will be as important as league form. There certainly won't be too much read into this pretty facile victory.

Still, there were a few standout performers. Rob Downey cleaned up at wing-back and lanced over 0-3, including two successive scores after being aggrieved when a free was given against him. 

Tim O'Mahony filled in comfortably for Ciarán Joyce at centre-back.

Jack O'Connor only played the first half but his speed caused issues for Offaly. 

It's a boost as well to see Declan Dalton back available after injury and Darragh Fitzgibbon returned to pilfer 1-1 off the bench.

The official Man of the Match went to Alan Connolly, starting for the first time since the All-Ireland quarter-final loss to Galway in 2022. 

He struck for 3-1 and even if some of the defending was questionable, his desire to hit the net that makes him so integral to Cork's championship prospects. Defenders always respect a forward who takes them on, which creates gaps for his teammates, and driving towards the square inevitably draws fouls.

CLINICAL

As the tip of the spear, Connolly was ideally positioned to make the most of Cork's dominance last weekend. Along with his treble, he had a stinging first-half drive parried away. His last quarter replacement in the same colour helmet, Brian Hayes, also stitched a goal.

Hayes buried the sliotar after a searing run from Shane Barrett and the Blarney flier was the provider for Fitzgibbon's green flag too.

Fitzgibbon is a banker as a championship starter, presumably at centre-field but who will partner him? That's one of the many questions Cork fans were pondering on the road home last Sunday.

Luke Meade is extremely reliable and hard-working but the same could be said of Brian Roche. 

Tommy O'Connell, rested in Offaly, was excellent in the previous league games and with a plethora of wing-back options is more likely to be midfield than in the number five geansaí he wore last summer.

Cork could mix it up depending on their opponents, which they did against Limerick in 2023 when they brought O'Mahony into the middle third to add height and heft. Still, you'd prefer to have a settled team and approach, which is always the trademark of teams with championship aspirations.

At least in the wins over Waterford and Offaly, Cork's delivery to the inside forward line was more measured than it had been in the Clare and Kilkenny losses. 

Competition for places is extremely valuable once there's a cohesive structure there for players to come in and out of. The coming months will tell us if Cork have found one.