Rebels will need to maintain or improve form to down new-look Limerick outfit
goal and chipped in with a couple of tasty points as well, while substitutes Luke Meade and Sean O’Donoghue both made an impact after being introduced up front and in defence respectively.
Afterwards Cork boss Kieran Kingston agreed that the form of the younger players was reasonably encouraging, but he was quick to stress its very early days yet in terms of assessing the upand-coming talent at his disposal.
“We saw today that there are fellas putting their hands up for the future, and that’s important. It’s good for Cork hurling, but we have to be realistic as well, because it’s going to take these lads a while before they can grow into inter-county players.
“So, we have to be patient with them, give them every chance to come through, and basically what we are trying to do is get the right blend between youth and experience,” he remarked.
Revealing that the management intend to use the panel as much as possible over the next few weeks, Kingston intimated there will be a few changes made to the starting fif- teen for the clash with Limerick. “We’d like to have as strong a team as possible for what, with due respect to Kerry, is going to be a much stiffer test next Sunday, but Killian Burke and Seamus Harnedy picked up injuries today and won’t be available for the fixture.”
Others ruled out for one reason or another, according to Kingston, are Patrick Horgan, Luke O’Farrell, Mark Ellis, Conor O’Sullivan and Conor Lehane, although ‘keeper Anthony Nash – replaced by Patrick Collins after picking up an injury in the pre-match warm-up last Sunday – is expected to be ready to go again.
There will again be a lot of focus on how the younger players shape up against Limerick, and it can be taken for granted it will be a much more enlightening exercise from the management’s perspective.
Regardless of the result, one feels that Kingston and his co-mentors Pat Ryan, Pat Hartnett and Diarmuid O’Sullivan will be happy enough if the team delivers a decent performance, and the trialists on view show further signs of potential.
Cork defender and team captain Stephen McDonnell is already convinced the new additions to the squad have had a very positive impact on the set-up.
“These young lads are very committed and very honest, and that has given us older guys a new energy as well,” stated the Glen Rovers clubman in the wake of the win over Kerry.
“We feel we can learn as much from them as they can learn from us, so, while things didn’t go well for Cork in 2016, we’re optimistic we can make progress this year. To be honest, we are not too concerned about winning games at the moment, we are more concerned about performing, and we are looking forward to taking on Limerick next Sunday.
“Everyone knows it’s going to be a different challenge than today, but we are ready to face up to it, and hopefully it will be a good game of hurling.”