Christy O'Connor on where Cork hurlers will look to improve despite impressive league opener
Cork's William Buckley shoots to score his side's third goal of the win over Waterford. Picture: INPHO/Tom Maher
In Ben O’Connor’s post-match interview on TG4 after Sunday’s win against Waterford, Micheál Ó Domhnaill asked the Cork manager if he felt the squad had a point to prove considering the hurt and disappointment the group suffered last year.
“No, I don’t think they’ve any point to prove,” said O’Connor. “This is 2026. We can’t do anything that has gone on before this.
"If you’re dealing with these fellas, you see how professional they are. Every one of them is a gentleman. So I don’t think they have anything to prove. If they do, it’s only to themselves.”
O’Connor is right in so much of what he said but, deep down, there is no way that he doesn’t believe that this group of Cork players have a huge point to prove, both to themselves and everybody who has doubted their capacity to win an All-Ireland.
Everybody acknowledges the immense class and talent in this team. Cork’s professionalism and application is outstanding. Anyone familiar with the squad knows that they are gentlemen.
Last year is gone, and Cork can’t do anything about what happened. But the burning question remains – can Cork win an All-Ireland?
As manager, O’Connor will be more pumped than anyone else to do so because he spent so much of his life proving points that someone like him from a club in Cork far removed from the city powerbase, and without a winning culture or tradition, could become an iconic player and captain Cork to an All-Ireland.
O’Connor was even more of a trend-setter again because of how he, his twin brother Jerry and their father Bernie changed hurling by establishing the principles that have long governed the modern game.
Bernie O’Connor shaped that game through his sons with Newtownshandrum’s unique possession style. And they did so when so many people in Cork doubted, questioned and ridiculed their style, particularly in the early days.
“There was a load of people giving out that this wasn’t hurling, saying ye are ruining the game,” Ben said in his and Jerry’s episode of Laochra Gael last year. “That drove me on. When we were getting the abuse and criticism, that would drive me on even more to keep doing what we were doing.”
As they have repeatedly done over the last 12 months, Cork burned it up again on Sunday. There was no surprise there.
If Cork put their minds to it, they can win successive league titles. They’re good enough to win Munster and the All-Ireland too. That’s the point.
So can they prove it?
The doubts and questions went into overdrive after the second-half collapse in last year’s All-Ireland final, but Sunday was the first positive step in that restorative process.
At stages, Cork were devastating, untouchable. That didn’t reveal anything new with the quality in this team but they were able to do what they liked against a Waterford team down two-thirds of their starting 15, and whose structure left far much open space for Cork to exploit.
Waterford weren’t aggressive enough either, in the tackle and in their intent, which was a licence for Cork to effectively do what they wanted. And they did, especially in the first half when Cork had oceans of space and time to be as accurate as they were when nailing all of their first ten shots inside 12 minutes.
Cork were in such control that the overall numbers mean very little, but O’Connor and his management will be delighted with the contribution of some of the younger players, or those more experienced soldiers tried out in new positions.
William Buckley had an excellent debut when scoring 1-4 from seven shots and having an assist. Daire O’Leary was whipped off on 51 minutes after picking up a yellow card but he performed well at full-back, especially under the high ball against a physically imposing Seán Walsh.
At the other end, Declan Dalton had a hugely productive afternoon for 42 minutes. Every time Dalton touched the ball led to either a score or a shot. From just eight possessions, Dalton scored 0-4, assisted 1-2, and had an assisted shot.
Alan Connolly also did well, especially in a more withdrawn role than usual out the field. From just eight plays, Connolly scored 1-1, while he assisted 1-2.
Hugh O’Connor also had a positive first league outing when scoring one point and assisting another. Brian Roche was impressive too while Diarmuid Healy was outstanding; from 15 plays, Healy scored 0-4, almost had a goal, while he assisted 0-2 and had indirect assists for another 0-2.
Cork set the tone early on, especially the half-back line of Cormac O’Brien, Rob Downey and Mark Coleman, who were all outstanding. Downey alone had assists for 0-5 in the first half.
When Cork assess this match in greater detail, they’ll be disappointed that they conceded 0-11 off turnovers, but 0-4 of that total came in the last quarter when the match had long ceased to be a contest.
Cork only scored 0-6 in the last 27 minutes but the match was long over by then. In truth, this game was over after just 12 minutes.
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