Cork forwards stake claim

THREE wins from five Allianz League outings has altered the focus of Cork coach Larry Tompkins.

The success over Dublin at the weekend, allied to the fact the Nemo Rangers contingent will be available for Sunday week’s home game against Donegal, means the focus has shifted from relegation concern to the prospect of a place in the knock-out stages.

Tompkins, who made it clear after Sunday’s game that the Nemo players won’t walk back into the team, insisted Cork’s main focus for the league campaign remains getting their own game in order.

“We talked about a lot of things last week and we put them into practice in Parnell Park. We made a lot of stupid errors against Galway. I would have felt we were dominant over the 70 minutes, but we had been chasing the game and got a lucky enough goal to win it.

“It’s encouraging that the young fellows are doing well. There’ll be competition later on when we have the Nemo lads back. It probably won’t be easy to shift players. I would be hoping that no matter what guys come back, that they will have to fight for it. I know from my own playing days, that if you’re not hungry you lose the bite. I want every guy hungry.

“We are looking for consistency in guys and certainly we’ve been very pleased with performances from the last few games. A lot of our players performed well against Dublin and hopefully they can go out the next day and do as well. That’s what is important.”

Tompkins expressed satisfaction at the way the attack has functioned, specifically with the spread of scores around the forwards.

“Over the last few years we were depending on a couple of players. We have a lot of capable players. It’s just a question of getting the confidence and giving them the proper chance.”

Naomh Aban’s Micheal Ó Croinin doesn’t fit into the category of new players, except he has been give a second chance to launch his inter-county career.

He has produced impressive form against some of the best known defenders in the game and on Sunday showed plenty of character when kicking three vital points into the wind at a time when he widely booed by a section of the Dublin following.

“Things have been going well. I’m just determined to stake my claim. Going back a few years ago, people said that maybe I was a bit young.”

Tompkins is delighted with his progress, commenting: “Micheal is a great player, with a lot of talent. He has matured a lot.

“He played in the 1999 All-Ireland final and has been on and off the team for a couple of years. But, he has got a good run this time and has shown what he can do. He’s putting in a big effort and he is an exceptional kicker with both left and right.”