Mark Coleman or Cormac O'Brien? Cork's selection headaches for Dublin clash
Cork's Diarmuid Healy holds off Limerick's Kyle Hayes during the Munster SHC final at TUS Gaelic Grounds. Picture: Eddie O'Hare
Cork are close. Just two wins away from ending a drought that has loomed large for nearly two decades.
Standing in their way is an opponent few would have predicted before the quarter-finals were played. It’s a semi-final matchup that is both a gift and a curse.
On paper, Cork are clear favourites. By that logic alone, there should be no reason for anything but a Rebel victory.
But the same could have been said for Limerick in the last round. And yet, with 14 men for most of the game, Dublin stunned the hurling world with a remarkable win.
But the same was true of the quarter-final between Limerick and Dublin. Yet somehow with 14 men, the Dubs took them all the way and came away with a remarkable victory.
Can they hit those same heights again? The odds are slim – but not zero.
The four-week break is another variable. Sometimes it stalls momentum. But for Cork, it’s likely a positive. The rest has given time for knocks to heal, and the squad will be nearer full strength for Saturday’s clash. The question now: what will the starting 15 look like?
Damien Cahalane performed admirably in the Munster final, but the corner-back pairing of Niall O’Leary and Seán O’Donoghue has worked brilliantly all season. Eoin Downey has grown into the full-back role and should keep his place.
That leaves half-back as the area with the most uncertainty. Mark Coleman and Cormac O’Brien have both excelled in different roles. With Robert Downey expected to return at centre-back, Ciarán Joyce will likely slot into one wing, leaving Ryan with a decision to make: Coleman or O’Brien?
It depends on Cork’s approach. If they’re aiming to blitz Dublin early, Coleman’s attacking instincts and ball distribution make him the better fit. He’s been superb in the half-back line this season.
But O’Brien brings defensive steel. Starting him would give Cork a half-back line built on control and structure – freeing up Downey to push forward when the opportunity arises.
Tim O’Mahony and Darragh Fitzgibbon have been the go-to midfield pairing, and that’s unlikely to change. There’s a chance Fitzgibbon could push into the half-forward line if Ethan Twomey is to return, but it’s more likely Ryan sticks with Diarmuid Healy, and brings in Declan Dalton.
Dalton’s mix of power and pace makes him a strong option to start, and after Healy’s impressive full championship debut, he surely keeps his place, particularly with Séamus Harnedy sidelined by a hamstring injury. Shane Barrett is expected to line out between them at centre-forward.
Conor Lehane and Shane Kingston gave management food for thought after their strong cameos last time out. But with the current setup functioning well, it’s hard to see either forcing their way into the starting fifteen. More likely, both will be among the first subs introduced.
Patrick Horgan remains an automatic pick too – his experience and accuracy from placed balls remain invaluable.
The only potential change up front could be Alan Connolly, but again, Ryan seems unlikely to fix what isn’t broken.
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