Cork Hurling: New faces will feature but panel was tough for Ben O'Connor to pick

The desire to make the Cork hurling panel came through clearly on Monday evening as Ben O’Connor’s triallists rewarded him with a late victory over Clare.

The Banner team had the edge in experience. Eight players who started last year’s Munster championship draw figured for Brian Lohan’s men against one for Cork: Ethan Twomey. 

That advantage was only sharpened when the late announcement was made that Tony Kelly, wearing no. 26, would be drafted in to start.

Of course, being so early in the year, it was some of the younger cohort who were more battle-ready between their pre-season and Fitzgibbon Cup exploits.

Some of the Cork team had disappointments to rectify, between the midweek defeat to Limerick and the UCC cohort’s disappointment against rivals MTU. Two of the best performers were channelling the momentum of that brilliant MTU win, as Darragh O’Sullivan and Alan Walsh led the charge at either end of the field.

The reality of the situation will have set in among the camp that 47 players have been training away with Cork, but only 36 will continue into the spring.

Across the Canon O’Brien Cup and Munster Hurling League games, 31 players have seen action. 

That’s not including another 12 of last year’s All-Ireland final starting team (excluding the retired Patrick Horgan). It all adds up to some tough decisions having to be made.

We won’t overanalyse January playing time when there are so many factors between illness in the camp, knocks, varying return dates, and college campaigns, not to mention the uncertain distinction between players who are building momentum for a league campaign and those competing against the cull.

The only note made was that five players started their third consecutive match of the new era: Twomey, Ciarán Doolan, Jack O’Connor, Cian Darcy, and Seán Desmond.  Doolan and Desmond are the pair who completed the entire three hours of hurling. How many have done enough remains to be seen.

Desmond has been steady, clipping two points in each outing without cutting loose. In the build-up to Monday’s winning goal, the Watergrasshill captain also made the hard run to collect Paudie O’Sullivan’s pinpoint puck-out and sent in a ‘garryowen’, as the TG4 commentator termed it, which led to the penalty.

That was Walsh’s key contribution of a bustling evening. 

When Cork were struggling for purchase in the first half, he twice broke through on goal. He was fouled both times for tap-over Ben Cunningham frees. Diarmuid Ryan’s diving block denied him a potential goal on the first occasion before play was pulled back.

When Desmond was switched further outfield in the second half, Conor Cleary was stationed on Walsh. It wasn’t just any full-back wrestling with the Kanturk man for the penalty.

Walsh was the target of the next puck-out, too, winning the break to slot the insurance point.

In the context of Cork’s free-taking vacancy, Cunningham showed his desire to build a case at Mallow. 

It didn’t all go his way, especially in a first half featuring a couple of misses, but his value was evident with a 1-10 tally. 

That matched his haul for UCC against Cork in the Canon O’Brien Cup last month, which was again primarily based on placed balls. It’s the contribution from open play which will be decisive.

The St Finbarr’s forward seemed to have felt a hamstring twinge in the closing stages, but played on, hoping for an opportunity to fall his way. Such perseverance earned valuable praise from Ben O’Connor post-match after sticking the penalty.

BALANCE

Of course, there are as many defensive positions to be filled as attacking, so it won’t just be the scoring stars noticed in the final deliberations. 

In that regard, Darragh O’Sullivan is someone who could contend for greater league exposure after another polished showing.

Apart from one lapse in concentration to cough up a 65, which was missed, Paudie O’Sullivan was an assured presence in goal. 

His 53rd-minute save from Mark Rodgers was just as vital as the penalty drama which followed.

In another competitive sector, midfielder Brian O’Sullivan has also demonstrated a level of consistency, matching Desmond by landing 0-2 in all three appearances, just from longer range. 

His partner, Brian Keating, grew in influence as the game reached its conclusion.

O’Connor noted the narrow margins of such decisions when he said: “You have one panel this week, and in two days' time, it’s something different when you see games like that.” 

Of course, making the squad is one thing, but making the team is another stratosphere of involvement. 

Still, getting inside that 36-man cut is the best way to start forging a pathway up through the pecking order.