Hopes for better 2019

the game players like Clancy are taking it all in their stride.

“When you are on the ball in hand you are not counting the amount of hand passes, but still you have to be conscious of it, you have to be smart and see when you are going to use the hand pass and try to use the kick pass to get into good positions.”

Cork’s win last weekend won’t live long in the memory, but the fresh faces on show are a positive for all on and off the field.

“We very much have a new bunch this year so we are all trying to get used to each other. It really is all about taking it one game at a time – we are just trying to improve game on game. We are trying to pick out the negatives and the positives and see if we can learn and do better the next day.

“The new lads that have come in bring a real energy to the group, they are very good and very positive and we all feed off that and that helps us all fight for our places.

“We all have to fight for our places now and that is the important part for players individually – there is a very good attitude around the camp and that is great to see.”

Clancy has the small matter of a McGrath Cup Final to follow this weekend with senior club and inter-county football bound to take most of the Fermoy man’s time.

“It is great to be involved at a high level with both club and county. I will try to bring back what I can to the club and help the lads for what will be a big step up for the lads this year but we are all looking forward to the challenge, but right now I am fully focussed on Cork and just We train hard, but the hard part is getting that out onto the pitch. That was the big issue last year and that is our focus

trying to take it one game at a time.”

Clancy, is now one of the elder statesmen of the Cork panel and is well placed to compare the current mood in the camp to previous camps in the past and on that front the versatile wingback is feeling the love.

“There are a lot of new faces this season and there were a good few in last year as well but really we train very hard and every player that puts on the jersey does their best.

“We train hard but the hard part is getting that out onto the pitch. That was the big issue last year and that is our focus this year – we need to show the hard work on game day – that is something we haven’t been great at over the last four or five years – we have been pretty poor in the games.

“After that we need a bit of consistency, but we are learning, we are trying to get the best out of ourselves and are working really hard and keep focussed. Overall it is very positive right now.

“Very positive.”