40 ALAN THRILLED TO BE BACK IN CORK PICTURE
INJURY-PLAGUED goal poacher Alan Connolly says there were ‘dark’ times when he couldn’t play for Cork.
The Blackrock man blasted a stunning hat-trick against Offaly on Sunday to keep the Rebels in the hunt for a League semi-final place.
It was the full-forward’s first start of 2024 having missed all of 2023 with shoulder and hamstring problems.
His return to full fitness is a giant boost for Cork because his goal threat is clear.
Connolly sniped two goals on his League debut in 2021, coming on as a sub against Waterford on that occasion.
Two games later, he made his first League start and reeled off another two goals against Westmeath.
Connolly started the 2022 League final against Kilkenny and scored four more goals in that summer’s Munster Championship — before injury struck.
Connolly, who hit 3-1 in total, said: “Look, I probably haven’t been fit for the past three years. I’ve been injured, always carrying something. It’s great to play with a bit of freedom. You can see, well I hope I look a bit freer anyway, kind of the mind is at ease. It’s hard carrying the injuries. Thankfully now I’m over it.
Physios
“It was my hamstring last year, after the shoulder. But everything is fine now thank God. I have the physios to thank, Sinead Murphy and Colm Coakley, so
I’m delighted to be back, playing with freedom.
“I’ve been in a dark place the last three years, I’d say. My mind is at ease now, it’s great just coming to training, not worrying about your shoulder or anything, just playing with freedom.”
Connolly’s comeback means boss Pat Ryan has even more options in attack as he finetunes his Championship preparations.
Even without Connolly last year, the Rebels used 38 players in the 2023 League — the highest level of experimentation in Division One.
It’s a similar story this term with Ryan handing match action to 34 players in just four games so far. That’s 10 more than Wexford and Antrim.
Ryan made nine changes for the win over Offaly and acknowledged afterwards that it might look like he doesn’t know his best lineup, but Connolly said the competition for places is great.
He said: “The panel, it’s unbelievable. The talent, like, we could put any 15 out there and they’d get the same result.
“There are a lot of lads who didn’t even travel to Offaly who can easily do what the lads did on the pitch. The competition at training at the moment is unbelievable and it’s great to see. There’s a good bite in training.
“We’re still kind of figuring out the team and stuff. And look, I haven’t played in eight months, like, so I’m trying to figure it all out myself as well. Other lads are coming back from injury as well, lads like Robbie O’Flynn, so it’s really good overall in training.
Tough
“We’ve two wins now in the League, over Waterford and Offaly. We’ll look forward to the game against Wexford next weekend and hopefully get a win there. It’s a very tough place to go but we’ll give it a good crack anyway.”
Cork started the League slowly with losses to Clare and Kilkenny but if they beat Wexford on Saturday, in Wexford, they’ll be guaranteed a top-three finish and top tier hurling in 2025.
And if Kilkenny also lose away to Waterford then Cork will leapfrog into second and steal a semi-final spot.
Connolly shrugged: “We’re taking it week by week. We know we were poor enough the first two games. We won then against Waterford. We’re just trying to get the wins, trying to get the confidence up. Lads are very confident at the moment and training is going well.”
Connolly took home a piece of silverware as Man of the Match in the 27-point demolition of Offaly. He said: “Ah look, it doesn’t really mean much to me now. We’d prefer to be celebrating in July.”