Fogarty Forum: Expectation once again raises its head for Cork

The Cork hurlers have long shaken off doubts about their physicality but as expectation builds once again, can they handle the tag of favourites?

Cork manager Ben O'Connor: "We like to play nice hurling but people have us down as a soft touch – we’re no soft touch.” Pic: ©INPHO/Morgan Treacy

“The softest team in Ireland” was how Kieran Kingston sarcastically described his Cork team six years ago.

The former manager had taken exception to the perception that his team were not able to mix it. After losing a league game to Limerick, Kingston said: “I think there was over 40 frees awarded today. I think we conceded 20-something of them and we’re ‘the softest team in Ireland’, as everybody knows.”