Kilkenny v Cork: Alan Connolly says Rebels have a lot done, more to do

With a Patrick Horgan-shaped hole in the Cork attack, the onus is on others to step up.

In that regard, Alan Connolly’s start to the current Allianz HL Division 1A campaign is a positive, capped with a fine display in the win over All-Ireland champions Tipperary a fortnight ago.

A tally of eight points – evenly split between open play and dead balls – was only part of the overall output. Some said it was his best game for Cork but, while happy with how things are going, the Blackrock man won’t be releasing any commemorative DVDs.

“Hard to tell [if it was his best game], but yeah, I try to give 100 percent all the time,” he says.

“Everyone does, no-one goes out to lose or play bad. We, as a group, try to work hard for each other, the forwards try to work for the backs, the backs try to work for the forwards, in terms of them giving us good ball and us making them give bad ball for the backs to win.

“Definitely, I was happy with the performance personally, but it's not a perfect performance, you never get a perfect performance, just keep building on that performance.

“I can take confidence from it, definitely, but it's only a league game in February at the end of the day as well.”

Those eight points gave him 1-14 as he started Cork’s wins over Waterford, Galway and Tipperary – the only outfield player to play every minute.

Having had issues with injuries over the years, it’s a big positive to take.

“Yeah, definitely, it's the first time I've played three games, from start to finish in a row!” he laughs.

“I've always kind of missed a bit of pre-season and stuff like that and league matches, but it's obviously built up a bit of resilience now this year and just trying to stay fit.

“There's a lot of confidence, definitely, playing those three games.”

At the same time, after playing for three consecutive weekends, Connolly and Cork were glad of the rest afforded by two free weekends.

“It was needed, to be honest,” he says.

“I was only talking to a few of the lads there on the team, and we were just saying, like, it's so hard to get up for a game every weekend.

“You'd be wired the day of the match, like, obviously you’d be nervous and stuff like that on the day of the game, and then it's such a release after the match, and then you're trying to do that every weekend, it's pretty tough, but it's been nice to have a bit of a break from matches.

“We’re obviously training still and [playing] training matches and stuff but, yeah, it was a good break.”

By the time Cork take to the field at UPMC Nowlan Park against Kilkenny on Sunday, the GAA’s annual Congress will have voted on a proposal to extend the inter-county season into August.

Following a vote of county board delegates, Cork are opposed to the motion and Connolly feels that the current split-season set-up serves the greatest good. This year’s All-Ireland final date has special resonance for him, too, so he is happy for the status quo to remain.

“It's on my birthday this year [July 19], so that's the perfect day, I think,” he says, “the World Cup final as well!

“I love the split-season to be honest, it suits me, it suits the club players. I don’t know if an extra week or whatever makes a difference. I think it's grand the way it is.”