New look Rebels should be too strong for Faithful
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Thursday February 18 2010
FOR the first time in three seasons, Cork will commence their National Hurling League campaign unhindered by any off the field distractions.
With the hurlers rowing in behind the footballers in their conflict with the County Board, Cork were unable to field a team for their opening two league fixtures against Kilkenny and Waterford in 2008. And this time last year, none of the 2008 panel were available, but beleaguered coach Gerald McCarthy pressed ahead with a make-shift team which predictably failed to measure up against Dublin, Tipperary and Galway in turn.
There is no unrest on Leeside at the moment, however, and the expectation is that Cork will make a determined bid to compete well in the league. That could spell trouble for Offaly when they throw down the gauntlet to the Rebels in the opening round at Pairc Ui Chaoimh on Sunday.
On their last visit to Cork for a league game in 2007, Offaly shipped a sevenpoint defeat, and they were thrashed to the tune of 1-27 to 0-11 when they returned for a championship qualifier later that year. Even with home advantage in Tullamore, they fared out little better against Cork in last year's championship, although they did manage to put up a bit of a fight before being completely overwhelmed in the last 20 minutes.
It finished 3-19 to 1-12 in Cork's favour, a result which confirmed that Offaly have slipped steadily down the rankings since receiving a drubbing from Kilkenny in the All-Ireland final ten years ago.
They had shocked holders Cork in the 2000 semifinal, but that turned out to be a dying kick from an ageing team that had claimed two All-Irelands in the nineties.
Their championship record in recent times makes for pretty dismal reading, and they failed to win a game last year, bowing out to Wexford in the first round in Leinster, having earlier claimed the Division 2 league title at the expense of the Slaneysiders.
Cork wound up their preparations for the league with a challenge game against Waterford in Riverstown last Saturday night, and team manager Denis Walsh described it as a useful work-out. The team included players with championship experience in Donal Og Cusack, Shane Murphy, Shane O'Neill, Ronan Curran, John Gardiner, Niall McCarthy, Conor O'Sullivan, Kieran 'Fraggie' Murphy and Patrick Horgan, and, by all accounts, the displays from Gardiner at midfield and 'keeper Cusack were key factors in earning Cork a narrow win.
Denis Walsh has promised to give every player on the panel a fair crack over the course of the league, and the composition of the team for the clash with the Faithful County men is bound to command a lot of interest.
Virtually certain to be handed a league debut in attack is former Cork footballer Michael Cussen, who scored 2-1 in the challenge match against Waterford, but the likelihood is that there will be a liberal sprinkling of seasoned stalwarts on duty as well.
Whether or which, Cork should be strong enough to make a winning start in the league against potential relegation candidates Offaly.
- Noel Horgan
