Eoin Cadogan backs Eoin Downey to take on responsibility as Cork face defensive reshuffle

Eoin Cadogan has given his backing to Eoin Downey to shine at centre-back for Cork if he is chosen there for Saturday’s Munster SHC clash with Waterford.

Ahead of the clash at Azzurri Walsh Park (6pm), much debate on the Cork side has centred on who will be drafted in to the Rebels’ defence to replace full-back Ciarán Joyce, who has been ruled out for the remainder of the year with a cruciate ligament injury, and Downey’s brother Robert, who had been at centre-back and is sidelined with an ankle problem.

Cadogan featured in both central defensive positions during his Cork career and, while he acknowledges the size of the absences, he is encouraged by the depth of the available options for Ben O’Connor’s side.

“Obviously, the loss of Ciarán Joyce and Rob Downey is monumental, really,” Cadogan said.

“It's straight down the spine of your team. I’d probably expect Eoin Downey to come straight in at six with maybe either Cormac O’Brien, Micheál Mullins to come in at wing-back maybe.

“And then three as well – look, Damien Cahalane came on the last day. You’ve Ger Millerick there as well. It is a specialised position and both those lads have the experience of playing inside there, both club and county.

“The way teams are setting up now is that most are leaving two inside, one going out. This Saturday, we're going to have Dessie Hutchinson come out the field floating with two inside. So, like, positions-wise and I think Ben has referenced it there previously that sometimes though it's just a defensive unit versus actually playing as a full-back.

“It’s moved on quite a bit. You're on the edge of the square for 70 minutes usually you're being dragged left, right and centre. You see the last day against Tipperary, Seán Walsh started inside and then they brought him out to half-forward. So, if you're doing a man-marking role there, now it's half back and someone slips in.

“So, I still expect to see obviously Niall O'Leary, Seán O'Donoghue and I suppose either Damien or Ger Millerick to man that position.”

Cadogan, speaking exclusively to BoyleSports as a Gaelic games ambassador, would not necessarily feel that there is a mental hurdle deal with in terms of carrying the status of Cork’s centre-back.

“Not really, to be honest with you. I think we can read too much into things like that,” he said.

“Positions mean very little – at different stages, I would have gone out at 6 or back to 5, picking up Peter Duggan for example. That's the role that you're given.

“I think Eoin is a really good reader of the game. He's obviously a very good natural hurler in terms of his hurling capability, but he's good to read the game as well. He's as good as Rob, aerially, as well.

“Then you've good cover and athleticism in Mark Coleman on the wing and whoever else comes in the opposite wing.

“I think Eoin and Rob are two proud Glen Rovers fellas – tradition-wise, they're not exactly going to be afraid of filling any gap, really, whether that be 7 or 6. I think it'll be water off a duck's back, really, for him.”

With one point from their two games to date, Waterford need to win and Cadogan knows Cork will be ready for a stiff challenge.

“Peter Queally will probably have looked at the last two games,” he said.

“They hit 4-21 against Clare and didn't come out winning. Last day against Tipperary, they were 12 points down, so they haven't put a consistent 70-minute spell together and I think they'll take huge confidence from that.

“When you haven't hit the heights they would have expected, that's the first thing. Secondly, when you're fighting on your back and your back is against the wall, it can become a come-out-swinging mentality and I think that's what Cork are going to expect.

“I think they've been forewarned really. They got turned over two years ago – Donal O'Rourke was coaching Cork then, he's now in the Waterford backroom team with Dan Shanahan and Peter Queally.

“This is a tough, tough task down in Walsh Park. It's not a foregone conclusion. I think it's going to be a tight enough game and I think Cork have been well prepped and reminded of what's going to be coming from Waterford.”