Cork hurling by the numbers: Who has logged the most league minutes so far

The new Cork hurling management certainly could not stand accused of not evaluating their options during the Allianz Hurling League campaign.

Of the 36-man squad announced at the beginning of the competition, only goalkeeper Brion Saunderson, Darragh O’Sullivan and Ben Cunningham did not feature. Barry Walsh was not on that list as he is still eligible for the U20 grade but he had been part of the set-up from the start.

That Ben O’Connor and his selectors could shuffle their deck fairly liberally from game to game and still end with a record of five wins and a loss shows the depth available, but the manager has made it clear that the side chosen for Sunday’s final against Limerick will be based on form.

Looking at the players who featured most in the league so far, there is a chance that the 15 of the top 16 will get the nod for the TUS Gaelic Grounds clash – Ciarán Joyce and Dáire O’Leary are fourth and 15th respectively in terms of game-time but the full-back spot could be between them while Hugh O’Connor is 16th and was given a vote of confidence with his inclusion against Offaly a fortnight ago.

While Séamus Harnedy is down the list with just 94 minutes, injury and other commitments limited his availability and there is a case that picking him would be the ideal way to gear him up for the championship.

Whatever the team put out, the management can be happy that those picked will have earned their opportunities.

League minutes 2026

350: Patrick Collins, Tommy O’Connell (0-6), Eoin Downey (0-4); 

348: Darragh Fitzgibbon (2-16, 0-2f, 0-1 65); 

325: Dáire O’Leary; 

315: Alan Connoly 1-29 (0-22f, 0-1 65); 

303: Niall O’Leary; 

292: Shane Barrett (0-15);

291: Seán O’Donoghue; 

258: Tim O’Mahony (1-9, 0-5f, 0-1 65); 

255: Robert Downey; 

248: Brian Hayes (5-6); 

245: Mark Coleman (0-7); 

239: William Buckley (1-10); 

210: Ciarán Joyce; 

177: Hugh O’Connor (0-2); 

174: Declan Dalton (1-6, 1-0 penalty, 0-1f); 

173: Barry Walsh (2-2); 

155: Cormac O’Brien (0-1sl); 

144: Ger Millerick; 

131: Diarmuid Healy (0-7); 

127: Eoin Roche; 

115: Micheál Mullins; 

105: Brian Roche (0-1); 

95: Alan Walsh (1-1); 

94: Séamus Harnedy (0-4); 

72: Ethan Twomey; 

70: Robbie O’Flynn (0-1), Paudie O’Sullivan, Damien Cahalane; 

40: Shane Kingston (0-1); 

35: Brian O’Sullivan (0-1); 

17: Pádraig Power (0-2); 

12: Brian Keating (0-1).