Impressive Cork hit the ground running
It was interesting to observe Cork as they went through their pre-game warm up. Management and players were visibly lackadaisical. Everyone was relaxed and smiling. There was not a game face to be seen. There was an element of “we have seen this all before.” It can be hard to move on from the highs of last year and the post-September party circuit. A wet Austin Stack Park is a long way from sunny Cape Town. This can be dangerous as players think they can switch on and take off from where they were the previous year. This is not always the case and some Cork players did struggle, especially early on. It is early in the year, though, and without much training, enough of Cork’s top performers delivered when it mattered to snaffle two valuable two points on the road in an ultra-competitive Division One.
The other characteristic of All-Ireland champions that was evident yesterday was the experience and newfound confidence displayed by Cork, particular down the stretch. There was no panic. This time last year Cork would not have won this opening League game. Winning big games, such as last year’s Croke Park victories over Down and Dublin, are massive experiences to be able to draw on when the going gets tough.
