Christy O'Connor: Cork hurling faithful stay grounded despite two wins, especially after the injuries

When Ben O’Connor spoke to the media after last Sunday’s match against Limerick, he outlined the benefits of having two weeks to prepare before Cork play Waterford, and the opportunity that will now present to players on the squad.

There weren’t any changes on the panel between the Tipperary and Limerick games, not just because the panel had done so well against Tipp and there was no reason to shake things up – but because there was no opportunity for anyone outside the 26 to put their hand up.

“Some fellas are going to hit a bit of form, some fellas won’t,” said O’Connor. 

“That’s what the next two weeks are for. If you had a game next week, could you leave any fella out that was here today? 

"You probably couldn’t.” 

Now that Cork don’t play this weekend, the opportunities are stacking up for players – because they have to. This week already, especially this weekend, a host of players have a chance to put up their hands in an A v B game. 

OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS

There are places up for grabs, not just on the panel, but on the team. Especially in defence.

The unfortunate cruciate knee injury to Ciarán Joyce, which has ruled him out for the season, is a huge blow to him personally, the squad, and the supporters. 

Joyce is an even bigger loss when he appeared to have filled the full-back spot, which had been – and has been – an issue for Cork for a while.

His loss is exacerbated further by the injury to Rob Downey, which has ruled him out for a reported six weeks. It’s rare that a team would lose their full-back and centre-back so early, and at the same time in the championship. And now Cork have to deal with it.

Downey has a solid chance of being back within six weeks which, Cork hope will be for a Munster final. They’re fortunate too with how their schedule has fallen, with a two-week break now to Waterford, and then a 15-day lead-in to Cork’s final match against Clare in Páirc Uí Chaoimh.

The split of defenders/forwards on the bench last week was 4/6. Damien Cahalane, Ger Millerick and Cormac O’Brien are out-and-out defenders while Ethan Twomey is an option as a defender or midfielder. Outside of sub goalkeeper Paudie O’Neill, the other six subs last week will only be used as forwards.

Players will have to come into the squad now, some of whom will probably feature against Waterford. Having four points in the bag also affords Cork more luxury to try more players, and in different positions, than they would have wanted to do against Tipp and Limerick.

Cahalane came on for Joyce last week. Mellerick came on in the league final for Seán O’Donoghue. But now that Daire O’Leary is fit again after picking up an injury in the regular round league game against Limerick, Cork may possibly look at O’Leary again at number three.

Micheál Mullins, who started wing-back in the league final, picked up an illness after that match, which is why he wasn’t in the squad for the Tipp game. 

Mullins may now come straight back into the team at wing-back, with Eoin Downey slipping into the number six jersey to replace his brother.

Cormac O’Brien is another option. His form in the spring wasn’t anywhere near as impressive as it was in the 2025 league, but O’Brien now has these two weeks to put himself back in the picture.

Cork have other options too. O’Connor and his management won’t want to break up the midfield partnership of Tim O’Mahony and Tommy O’Connell, but O’Mahony could revert to wing-back, with Darragh Fitzgibbon returning to midfield. Fitzgibbon has made a new home at wing-forward but Diarmuid Healy’s return from an injury lay-off gives Cork that flexibility now with Fitzgibbon.

That flexibility extends right throughout the team. Twomey, who scored 1-2 from play in the 2025 league final, was named to start at wing-back against Limerick in round six before picking up a knock and being replaced by Cahalane, who lined out at wing-back. So could Twomey be tried at half-back again? Possibly.

Whatever Cork decide to do, they will be able to go about their business in the coming weeks without any of the fanfare, mad speculation or spiralling hype that was constantly encircling the squad last year.

GROUNDED

That was evident again last Sunday. Beating Limerick is always sweet for Cork. It was sweeter again after the league final defeat. 

But nobody was getting carried away afterwards. There was no mad pitch invasion from the Cork hordes like there was in 2024. The team were gone off the pitch not long after the final whistle. Páirc Uí Chaoimh was empty soon afterwards.

Supporters are a lot more circumspect and realistic since the hype train was spectacularly derailed last July. 

The injury to Joyce this week made supporters even more wary again of looking too far ahead. Nobody is getting carried away anymore. And that has suited Cork.

O’Connor, the management and players have gone about their business in a very matter-of-fact-fashion to date. Cork are not playing the swashbuckling hurling they were in 2025, but nobody in the county has an issue with functional replacing flamboyance as long as Cork keep the job done.

The next challenge now is making sure that Cork are as defensively well set up as they need to be after losing their two central defenders. Next man up. And these two weeks, especially in their A v B match this weekend, presents loads of opportunity for players to be that next man up.