New-look Banner could be vulnerable to buoyed up Cork

league opener at Pairc Uí Rinn next Saturday evening.

Such as Shane Kingston (Douglas), Mark Coleman (Blarney), David Griffin (Carrigaline), Darragh Fitzgibbon (Charleville), Michael Cahalane (Bandon) and Luke Meade (Newcestown) all managed to lay down a marker when pressed into action in the Munster League, with Kingston, Coleman and Griffin especially consistent.

Kingston, a star minor two years ago, is virtually certain to get the nod up front, while Coleman, who also excelled with the minors in 2015, and Griffin, one of the few players to impress with the Cork Under 21 team last year, could also be in line to make their league debut in defence.

The likelihood is that most of the up-and-coming hopefuls will be afforded the opportunity to show what they can do before the league has run its course, and maybe by then it will be confirmed that the management’s decision to give youth its fling has paid off, leaving them with plenty of options heading into the championship.

That’s probably the main objective in the league this season, but Cork will be hoping to compete well at the same time, so it’s likely the selectors won’t go overboard on experimentation for any of the games.

Given that the margins between making the play-offs and being plunged into a relegation final in Division 1A have been wafer-thin over the past few years, they’ll be putting out a strong side for every match and it can be taken for granted there will be a rich vein of experience running through the team to face Clare on Saturday night.

With the backing of what’s guaranteed to be a big home crowd, it’s a contest that Cork would be quite capable of winning, although Clare are entitled to start as favourites, not least because the bulk of their players have tasted success at national level in recent times.

They won the league last year, but they didn’t enjoy a good championship, failing to measure up against Waterford in Munster and against Galway in an All-Ireland quarter-final.

There is no denying they haven’t progressed to the extent that was widely anticipated after they won the 2013 All-Ireland – beating Cork in a replayed final – with a very young team, but, having completed a hat-trick of All-Ireland Under 21 titles in 2014, it has to be accepted they still possess considerable potential.

Likely to be without their most accomplished hurler Tony Kelly on Saturday night, however, due to Ballyea’s qualification for an All-Ireland club final, they could be vulnerable against a Cork side that’s bound to be brimming with intent and desire.