The changing of the guard for Rebels

Has there ever been a turnover of playing personnel like it?

Take a look at the photograph above, which shows the Cork senior hurling panel before last August’s All-Ireland semi-final defeat by Galway.

Although Cork officially begin their competitive 2013 season on Saturday against UCC in the Waterford Crystal Cup, at least six players are already unavailable to manager Jimmy Barry-Murphy, but not for reasons of injury or suspension.

Last weekend Eoin Cadogan indicated he was unable to play hurling and Gaelic football at intercounty level and opted for the big ball.

Cadogan joins Damien Cahalane in the Cork football squad — Cahalane was viewed as a potential full-back for the hurlers this coming season, but will only play football in 2013.

A different sport has claimed another prospect on the team, Darren Sweetnam (second from right at back), who was one of Cork’s most promising players during last year’s league campaign but who has since signed a contract to play rugby for Munster. Two of the most experienced players in the photograph are unavailable to Cork at this time: before Christmas John Gardiner (eighth from left at back) was told he would not be training with the team, while Niall McCarthy (far left at front) has gone travelling in Australia and southeast Asia.

McCarthy was informed by management before his departure that the door remained open to him on his return, while sources within the management set-up did not rule out a return for Gardiner when the county panel is finalised. However, with the league due to begin next month neither player is involved with the Rebel set-up.

Uncertainty also surrounds the intercounty future of another vastly experienced player, Brian Murphy (sixth from left at front), who is expected to inform Barry-Murphy and his management team this week whether he will be available to play for Cork in 2013.

Finally, the retirement of Seán Óg Ó hAilpín (fifth from right at the back) removes yet another seasoned player from the equation.

In short, the departures mean Cork may have to give debuts to up to seven players in this year’s championship; shades of Barry-Murphy’s six debutants in the 1999 Munster championship.