John Meyler: Cork suffering as club hurling ‘too nice’

All-Ireland medallist John Meyler believes Corkare producing technically excellent hurlers, but claims they are being held back by the lack of real intensity in the local club championships.

The St Finbarr’s clubman has concluded from his analysis of club games in both Cork and Kilkenny that “it’s not intense enough in Cork, the physicality isn’t high enough, it’s not 100 miles an hour”.

Cork hurlers have consistently raged against that cliche, that they possess more style than substance, and Seamus Harnedy insisted just this month that they do have the ‘mean streak’ required to win big.

Meyler, currently coaching Cork’s U15 team, clarified that he wasn’t criticising Jimmy Barry-Murphy’s senior panel, who are currently preparing to face his native Wexford in tomorrow’s do-or-die qualifier.

Rather, he said it’s a problem for the entire hurling fraternity in Cork that they’re producing players who are ‘too nice’ for the ferocious top levels of the modern game.

“I look at a lot of championship hurling in Cork, I go to a lot of games within Cork, it’s too nice,” said Meyler. “When you go then into the intensity of Munster championship and you’re hit with fire, it’s not replicated. That’s really coming from what they’re experiencing in the county championship and in league matches.

“Kilkenny have put their trademark on that sort of doggedness since Cody took over 20 years ago and, if you go and watch the Kilkenny championship matches, and I’ve gone to a good few, they’re as physical and intense as what you see from the county team.

“That sort of physicality and intensity isn’t there in Cork, that’s the problem. So when guys step up, they’re not able to replicate what’s coming at them.

“Ultimately, it’s about winning and the masters of that are Kilkenny. Nobody will beat Cork for skill and stick work. Patrick Horgan would be possibly one of the best stick hurlers in the game, fantastic skill.

“I suppose if you look at the Hurler of the Year at the moment, that’s Richie Hogan. That man is able to mix everything. He’s powerful, extremely fit, extremely strong and he transfers all of that into his game. Going back six or seven years, you didn’t need to do that but you do now.”

Cork came within moments of claiming a breakthrough All-Ireland title just two seasons ago when they brought Clare to a final replay. Meyler said it was significant that it was a young, highly-skilled Banner.

“Well, Clare and Cork would be two similar styles, a game between them might finish 3-20 to 4-19. The likes of Kilkenny and Galway will do it in the air, they’ll use their power. The old fellas would have said to me years ago that you can’t have three of the same in one line of the pitch, you have to have two and one. What they meant was you need two hurlers and a mixer,” said Meyler.