Lack of detail over Offaly match a frustration for Ben O’Connor

While Cork know who they will be playing next in the All-Ireland SHC, any details beyond that remain to be confirmed, to the disappointment of manager Ben O’Connor.

The hurling quarter-final line up is known, with Cork facing Offaly, who finished in third place in the Leinster round-robin, while Dublin – beaten in the Leinster final by Galway on Saturday evening – go up against Clare following third third-placed finish in Munster.

The weekend of June 19/20 is when they are slated for but the GAA have yet to confirm whether they will be on the Saturday or Sunday while the venues have not been determined, either.

It’s something that O’Connor felt could have been arranged even before the provincial finals, given that there were only two possible permutations for each quarter-final. As Cork reset and regroup, such clarity would have been welcomed.

“We set out our stall at the start of the year to win the league, we didn't,” O’Connor said.

“We set out our stall after that to win the Munster championship, we didn't; now we're starting a new competition.

“We've Offaly in two weeks’ time. Our video lads will be on tomorrow doing the analysis on them.

“’Tis great the GAA couldn't tell us where the fixture is on in two weeks’ time. They knew for the last couple of weeks it was either going to be Cork or Limerick. We'd have liked to have known that as well a bit earlier. But we'll drive on after that.”

As to which venue will eventually be chosen, O’Connor has no preferences or concerns.

“Anywhere they want to play it in the country, we'll be ready,” he said.

Cork captain Darragh Fitzgibbon missed Sunday’s game, and the win over Clare prior to that, as he recovered from appendicitis. He was named as one of Cork’s four stand-by players for the final, generating some discourse as to whether he would be a late addition to the matchday panel, but there was little chance of that happening.

With Declan Dalton having been on the 26 against Clare but ruled out due to a calf strain, Brian Roche stepped up to the squad.

“Darragh will be another couple of weeks,” O’Connor said.

“We wouldn't risk anyone. He was on that [standby list], Deccie picked up an injury last week, so he was out of it [the panel] this week because of that. It's the only reason.”