St Finbarr's selector John Allen: The Blackrock clash is a huge one for us

John Allen has been taken aback by the level of preparation and training standards at club level.

The former St Finbarr’s star is involved as a selector with the Barrs hurlers this season under the guidance of Ger Cunningham. The Togher club get their Co-Op SuperStores Premier SHC campaign underway on Friday evening when they take on Blackrock at Páirc Uí Rinn with throw in at 7.30pm.

The last Cork hurling manager to lead the Rebels to All-Ireland glory back in 2005 is enjoying being back involved in the game.

“I am flabbergasted really by the level of preparation and bye in since I got back involved this season,” Allen says.

“I just can't get over just how far the standard has improved at club level. The standard of preparation is beyond the level now compared to inter-county level when I was involved with Limerick when we won the Munster in 2013. Ger Cunningham is in his third season managing St Finbarr’s and he is just so organised, so good with the players as is Adrian O’Brien who is coming down from Limerick. He is a fantastic coach.

“John Cremin, Seán McCarthy and Billy O’Shea are putting huge amounts into their job. The players bye in and the standard of players is very high at club level. The time element has certainly surprised me.” 

Allen hadn’t been involved in a team in quite a number of years, so how did the opportunity to be a selector with the St Finbarr’s hurling team come around?

“Well, Ger [Cunningham] and myself have been friends for many, many years,” Allen said.

“Ger took over before the 2022 campaign and he asked me each year. Ger is a winner and he didn’t take no as an answer for the first two years so he rang my wife this year. I just felt I owed something to the Barrs. I managed the football team for a few years and the camogie team for a couple of years back in the 90s. I was lucky enough to have had a very successful career with the Barrs and I felt it was time to get involved with the hurlers.

“It’s very demanding but the championship is very close now and this is the time to be enjoying it really and trying to zone in and trying to get the best out of everyone. I am lucky that I am surrounded by very good people.” 

St Finbarr’s won the top tier hurling championship on Leeside in 2022 which brought an end to 29 years of hurt. Their defence of the Seán Óg Murphy trophy ended at the semi-final stage in the last campaign when a late Cormac Beausang goal helped Midleton to a two-point victory.

Every team targets a good start and the city club will want to get last year out of their system but face a massive challenge on Friday against the Rockies. With Fr O’Neill’s and Newcestown also in the group, room for error is minimal.

“The Blackrock clash is a big game, a huge one,” the St Finbarr’s selector says.

“Training has been going well but we won’t know exactly where we stand until after the first match. Everyone knows the importance of starting well otherwise you are under pressure.

“I can see lots of plusses with the split season but I don’t think it’s perfect. There’s no downtime really and if you are successful with the club, you're playing 12 months of the year. I can see players want to be playing matches.

“The split season is much better than what it was. Dual clubs have league matches week after week from March to July and then you have the championship run off week after week. Players want that and not just training the whole time. But I am not sure if the dual club will manage long term.

“It’s quite difficult. I think there’s a bit of tweaking to be done. All in all, players know when they are going to be playing. They can book holidays and so on and they are not waiting on a result. At least that has been tweaked and that’s only for the best.”