Hurlers show real intent with victory over Deise
Noel Horgan was in Semple Stadium on Sunday to witness yet another rousing victory for the county’s hurlers
IT would be fair to say that not everyone on Leeside was convinced Damien Cahalane made the correct decision when opting to give full commitment to the Cork hurlers two seasons ago.
Son of legendary footballer Niall, his pedigree suggested he was likely to have more to offer Cork in the big ball game, and , having played a leading role in helping Castlehaven and the county Under 21 footballers to success in recent years, there was no doubting his potential.
His credentials as a hurler weren’t nearly as compelling, and, rightly or wrongly, there were many who harboured strong reservations about his ability to cut the mustard at the top level.
To say he was a much-maligned figure would be an understatement, but, significantly, Jimmy Barry-Murphy put his faith in him for the 2014 and 2015 championships, as did Kieran Kingston when he replaced JBM as team boss last year.
Cahalane started in all twelve championship games, and was taken off in just one, over the past three seasons, filling the full-back slot under Kingston throughout the 2016 campaign.
It was a position that had proved troublesome for Cork since Diarmuid O’Sullivan called it day, and again there was no widespread conviction among Rebel supporters that the St Finbarr’s clubman was the answer to it.
In last year’s Munster quarter final against Tipperary, Cork played with a sweeper at the back, aware of the threat carried by Seamus Callanan at the edge of the square for the Premier County side. Even with that, Cahalane found Callanan a bit of a handful, as of course, did every other full-back tasked with curbing the Tipp No 14 last year.
So, when Cork went for a conventional formation for the championship clash with Tipp in Thurles last month, the general perception was that he’d struggle when left isolated with the home side’s marquee attacker.
That proved to be way off the mark, as Cahalane delivered a very assured performance to play a major role in Cork’s shock victory.
It drew lavish praise from coach and selector Pat Ryan, who said Cahalane was immense against one of the best forwards in the country.
“Damien gets a lot of criticism from outside the squad, but we know what type of character he is, and we wouldn’t have a bad word said about,” Ryan added
Last Sunday in Thurles, Cahalane was pitted against another quality forward in Maurice Shanahan, and he again measured up in great style, repeatedly denying the big Lismore man clean possession under the high ball during the opening exchanges.
That he won his individual duel with Shanahan hands down was a huge plus for Cork, and he remained a commanding presence at the back when confronted by a number of different Waterford forwards over the course of the game.
After a few seasons cutting his
teeth in the top flight, Cahalane, based on his displays against such formidable opponents in this year’s championship so far, looks ready to blossom into a full back of considerable stature.
And it can be taken for granted it isn’t only the Cork management that won’t have a bad word said about him now.
If it has taken Cahalane a while to find his feet at the top level, the same can hardly be said for young Mark Coleman.
The Blarney teenager’s performance in his first championship start against Tipp a few weeks ago earned him rave reviews, but he was arguably even better last Sunday, serving up a polished and composed display at wing back that belied his tender years.
One is always a little reluctant to lionise young players, and there is no guarantee things will go as well for Coleman in every game this season.
At the same time, there is no denying he has taken to the bigtime like a duck to water, and, given that players can normally be expected to improve with experience, one can only imagine what he’s capable of achieving in the years ahead.
One of the most impressive aspects of Cork’s play last Sunday,
One is always a little reluctant to lionise young players, and there is no guarantee things will go well
apart from their intensity and industry, was their teamwork. From the very start, they linked play well throughout the field, and the number of times when the ball was turned over to a Waterford player due to an aimless delivery could easily be counted on one hand.
It underlined what a great job Pat Ryan is doing as coach to the team.
The victory over Waterford means that Cork are guaranteed an All-Ireland quarter-final place at least, but winning Munster is the immediate target at this stage.
That seemed a very remote prospect at the start of the season, and the management deserve tremendous credit for restoring Cork’s hurling pride so quickly. When Kieran Kingston assumed the reins of control last year, the general consensus was he had an unenviable task on his hands.
By the end of 2016, he could be forgiven for thinking he had bitten off more than he could chew in view of how disappointing Cork were in both league and championship.
From the outset, however, Kingston made it clear his main aim was to develop a team that would enable Cork to get moving in the right direction, repeatedly stating it might take a few years before significant progress was made.
But with two stirring displays and two wins over such big guns as Tipp and Waterford under the belt this summer, Cork are now rightly regarded as genuine contenders for championship silverware.
They could yet finish up empty-handed, of course, but they have already shown they are back as a force to be reckoned with, and, regardless of how the rest of the season unfolds, it will surely go down as a satisfying year for the resurgent Rebels on that account.