Reader's Blog: Cork hurling is alive and well despite final defeat
Winning comes naturally. Winning in sport is achieved through talented players supported by sporting ingredients such as fitness, strength, speed, physiology, diet etc. These days, the ingredients are professionally applied by coaches and the end product is capable of a competitive success rate around 85% over a period of time.
This figure is increasing due to the increased level of professionalism within sport and the financial investment. Sadly success and winning is coming down to a few who can afford a professional set up and the quality of people who can identify talent at a very young age. I say sadly because some of the most exciting moments on the field of sport is when the underdog delivers the knockout and walks away with the spoils on a given day. It happens and illustrates that not always the most talented team wins but the team that delivers at the moment that matters at a given time. However in the overall context of sporting fixtures, over time, the talented professionally supported player wins out.
So what is my point?
The Cork U21 defeat to Tipperary in Limerick in the All Ireland final of the U21 Championship is just a “blip” in the careers of some of the Cork players. Players who are already selected to aim for the holy Grail in Croke Park. This comment is in no way meant to reflect on the hard efforts put in to the game by all players including the substitutes. The talented young players led by the “overworked ???? schoolboy” and very talented Kingston and his fellow players from the senior squad must forget about this result. Just bring the experience forward as part of the learning curve on their journey to where they need to be, Croke Parke lifting the Liam MacCarthy cup.
County Board, teachers, parents, coaches, selectors, mentors crave for success at any level. Sport is for enjoyment and is getting much more attention these days in the greater social involvement as a healthy deterrent to anti-social behaviour. Yes, of course, competition is part of sport and the excitement of teams playing against each other for a winners medal.
However in all sports, there is an Everest for the exceptionally “talented” few and the quest to get there should not be held back by personal ambitions from the sidelines. Talented young players need sideline support to achieve their maximum potential. A talent that is identified at a very young age and carefully developed through their sporting careers. The physical and mental problems they will encounter in the social environment must be professionally guided through their experiences. Donal O’Grady said on the recent television story of The Game that he was in charge of a wonderful talented group of amateur players in a professional environment when they won the All-Ireland Senior County Championship, Liam MacCarthy.
In the area of Cork hurling, it is my opinion that highly talented players should strive to achieve in three areas reflecting the responsibility of achieving these targets through their schools, clubs, and county boards. Namely Harty Cup medal, Senior Club County medal, and All Ireland Senior County Championship medal, medals they should cherish for all of their lives. Burn out on our young talented players is inflicted by the sidelines who crave for their own recognition and promotion. Talent will win naturally and any tweeting will be done behind close doors in training camp. The older the talent gets, the more it should be associated with its own level of skill.
My summary and reason for writing is that I am very confidant that Cork has almost reached the required talent to reach the pinnacle of our hurling Championship and it is certainly not far away now, regardless of the loss or performance of the recent U21 final. The conveyor belt is alive and active and to those involved in its true sporting function of development, well done. Your job is not to journey with these talented players but to assist at various stages of their journey. Like a good parent, do your bit and let them off to their next step in the ladder to realise their ambition in sport. Their natural talent can reward them with victory which we will all enjoy and share. County Boards make sure the finance and structures are in place to facilitate this journey as if and when success comes it will be your colours and flags that will be seen in the sky, for all to see. The huge attendances cheering both sets of talented players will be their friends and club mates whom they shared the journey with and helped to make the day everyone will be enjoying. At the final whistle, there will be no failure for talent just heartbreak for a loser. What loser? Many are called but few are chosen, sporting logic.
