John Horgan on Cork's bright league start: Hurlers will face much tougher tests from here

Not bad for starters, not bad at all. 

The Cork hurlers, under the baton of a new management team, began their voyage of rediscovery in the aftermath of how disappointingly the previous season had ended.

Driving down the Centre Park Road last Sunday for the league opener against Waterford one could easily have been back in time when thousands made their way to the old Athletic Grounds.

The great numbers of people on foot were heading down to the brand new stadium for a league game in the month of January, a game that actually hadn't a great deal of appeal about it given how depleted the opposition was.

When the scoreboard revealed that over 20,000 were inside the ground, you only marvel at how the Cork public have taken to this team.

That attendance figure was quite staggering because depending on who the participants might be, you might not get that for the final of the secondary competition.

There is never a certainty in any sporting arena and the fact that Waterford were minus quite a number of their bigger guns the expectation was that Cork would bag the league points on offer.

Any neutrals present, however, would have wished for a game that might hold their interest for a lot longer than it did.

But, truthfully, this game was heading in only one direction as early as the 10th minute when Cork led by nine points.

The old adage, a good start is half the battle and this was certainly one of those starts that a new management team can only dream about.

Ben O'Connor wanted an opening day win because it was all about getting off on the right foot, laying down an early marker and getting a bounce from the new players.

Waterford might have been down quite a number of their likely championship 15 but you can only play what's in front of you.

Cork did that with the type of application and enterprise that must have delighted the selectors.

Any management team would never admit that the performance, no matter how impressive, was flawless and in their video analysis one is sure that one or two faults will be found.

There is huge competition for places on this Cork team and when the opportunity is presented a new player, in particular, must try his utmost to seize the chance.

Ten of the team that started in Croke Park last July were on the block and the side did not contain a raft of newcomers.

One of them was Willie Buckley from the Barrs and his hand was one of the first up to try and make the desired impression. That he was chosen as the TG4 Man of the Match told its own story and his very impressive haul of 1-4 from play merited that accolade.

He certainly delivered a very strong opening message and was certainly a topic of positive conversation afterwards. Deccie Dalton was equally impressive on the edge of the square and his tally matched that of the young Barrs player.

Some of his points were sublimely executed, his penalty was struck with sheer venom and to sum up his contribution, it was vast and maybe his tue home is in the number 14 jersey.

Diarmuid Healy from Lisgoold entered the equation last Summer and immediately impressed and now a year older, a year wiser, even it it was only a league game in January, he continued to exhibit his great potential.

Brian Roche was industrious throughout, scored a fine point and his tenacity was evident when he won the Dalton converted penalty.

Mark Coleman's class and ability to forage for everything, plus his brace of fine points, caught the eye. Cormac O'Brien's work-rate ensured that he will be very much in the mix come the more important and difficult assignments.

Waterford were on a damage limitation mission from very early on, a distant second best in the opening 35 minutes, they did become a more significant force thereafter. This cause was lost all too early Reuben Halloran was their standout performer but the shortage of so many key figures was always going to be hurtful ultimately.

FOCUSED

Cork went for the jugular from the outset and the point taking in the opening 10 minutes had the huge home contingent in raptures There's one thing that you can never argue about on any given day, the match statistics and the final outcome.

And Cork's stats made for very impressive reading, a return of 3-25 in January has to be pleasing, 10 different players getting on the scoresheet and conceding just seven points from general play, a good day's work all round.

Mention too of the young man from Newmarket, Hugh O'Connor who delivered a tasty point on his introduction.

But, isn't there always a but, it's January, the opposition was depleted and much more difficult assignments are coming down the track.

Only a complete fool would get carried away with a result like this and the hype levels must be kept in check by the support base.

Next Saturday night it could be a different story altogether when the elements of Salthill are sure to be a factor.

Let's hope they are, let's hope much stiffer questions are posed by a Galway team who, despite losing to Tipperary last Saturday night and with a number of newcomers, were not blown away by the All-Ireland champions.

But that's for another day and what that test will bring.

Every league game is its own voyage of discovery, some counties might see it as an oppotunity to bag some silverware while others view it as more of a testing ground in trying to create more depth in the squad.

If last Sunday's opener at the Cork headquarters had been a championship assignment, there would have been no speculation about the starting team for the next day, the status quo would prevail.

OPTIONS

However, as impressive as Cork were, their pace, movement on and off the ball and overall efficiency, particularly in the first half, the likelihood is that the new management team will make changes, open the door for others on the panel of 36 to state their case.

Patrick Collins made a few fine stops between the sticks and was always assured but it's likely that Ben O'Connor will have a look at the other two custodians, Brian Saunderson and Paudie O'Sullivan.

He will want to get game time into as many players as possible in the coming weeks before it will be make-your-mind-up time in advance of the Munster championship.

Last Sunday was job well done but to repeat, consign it to the past now and move on to what is likely to be a questionnaire of a far more searching nature.

And, hopefully, there will be more positives to report on as the campaign extends.