Meyler’s men aim to bounce back against Yellow Bellies

NATIONAL HURLING LEAGUE DIVISION 1A ROUND 2

Sunday, February 3 Páirc Uí Chaoimh, 3pm

CORK’S opening gambit of the year ultimately failed to deliver anything in the way of points on the board and little in the way of substantial progress, but to be fair to all concerned it anything seismic was never likely to be seen against the reigning champions – particularly on their own patch.

Cork had the returning Aidan Walsh, Stephen McDonnell and Cormac Murphy to look to with Newtownshandrum’s Tim O’Mahony and Jamie Coughlan another pairing looking to secure anything like a starting berth going forward.

Deccie Dalton from Fr O’Neills was a player that many were interested in getting a look at after a good season with the Under 21s in 2018 while the old reliables of Patrick Horgan and Damien Cahalane continued to show their wares on the big stage.

Cork named Bill Cooper to line up alongside Murphy at midfield, but on the day the Youghal star failed to see any game time.

Cork’s starting 15 wasn’t the most untested of line-ups, but still there was plenty players on the pitch in desperate need of a good display, to keep them in the mix as the games get more interesting in the coming weeks and months.

On this day Cork were well beaten and on that front there can be little argument. Kilkenny were “hungrier” for want of a better word and as John Meyler stated in his post-match interview “further along” than Cork – and while in the grand scheme of things that might not be the biggest problem, one might wonder why that is – why are Kilkenny further down the track than Cork?

Cork started well and showed plenty hunger, discipline and ambition for the majority of the tie but they definitely ran out of steam near the finish. The boys in red ended up chasing shadows in the middle third and were second to most balls and not anywhere close to strong enough in the tackle – but those things can be fixed – they will come with time as the team gel together into a side that can confidently take to the field against the best around.

Where there may be a problem however is at defence – what looks like it could be the Achilles heel of this team again this year.

Cork’s half-back line were good enough on the day and their defensive midfield wasn’t bad either, but at the second last line of defence there again seemed to be a lack of cohesion when the ball arrived either at pace or in the hand of a Kilkenny attacker.

Cork’s back seven as individuals are all hugely talented hurlers and even as a unit coming out with the ball they are all confident players, but last Sunday, not for the first time to be fair, they struggled to come to terms with an attack that will only get stronger as the season progresses.

Kilkenny are far from the finished article, as are Cork, and to be honest all the other big sides are hardly firing on all cylinders as of yet either, but that will all change really soon and before the players know it 13 or 14 of a proper championship side will line out in one of the final two rounds of the national hurling league and at that stage management will be looking to nail down their first 15 and beyond.

As the season progresses Cork will get better, of course they will, and with their better players coming back they will be a force to be reckoned with, but as was proved last year the rebels need a strong 20 – 25 and not just 15 top class players.

Next weekend Cork welcome a Wexford side, that like the home team, are going in search of their opening win of the campaign. Last Sunday the Model County rallied well to put the All Ireland Champions under pressure, but on the day the Treaty side took the spoils to leave Wexford at the foot of the table with Cork.

There is plenty to suggest that Wexford can and will cause problems for the home side this Sunday, but Davy Fitzgerald’s decision to stick with the sweeper

As the season progressess Cork will get better, of course they will, and with their better players coming back they’ll be a force to be reckoned with

system is in truth doing little, to this point anyway, to suggest that Wexford are a better side now than they were last season.

Players of the calibre of Jack O’Connor, Cathal Dunbar and Conor McDonald will cause Cork’s defensive set plenty problems with the possibility that Lee Chin will return to lift a side that could do with a win sooner rather than later.

At the back, Mark Fanning will likely stand between the posts with Simon Donohoe, Liam Ryan and Conor Firman a good bet to start at the back. Diarmuid O’Keeffe and Kevin Foley will be the duo standing tall in the middle third with Murphy and Bill Cooper the obvious choice to contest (if Cooper is fit that is).

Both sides will be keen to get some points on the board this weekend but both will still be looking to find and blood some new starts. Wexford, like Cork, have found themselves a little light on recent benches but both managers will be well aware of the difficulties of finding players of serious inter-county standard in such a short space of time.

Verdict: Cork