Unfinished business for Rebel’s Mr Consistency

THIS YEAR seems to be about change for one of the most successful hurling sides of the modern era.

Amidst all that change, some things are constant. Ronan Curran has remained a paragon of consistency from the unglamorous Waterford Crystal Trophy campaign in January through to the National Hurling League, which, through no fault of his, culminated in a semi-final loss to eventual winners Waterford.

You might think he has been around for a decade, but just four short summers ago the St Finbarr’s man debuted alongside Tom Kenny, John Gardiner and Setanta Ó hAilpín against Sunday’s opponents in the first round of the Munster Championship, Clare.

Then Cork manager, Donal O’Grady, handed his fellow club man the number six jersey and you sense that without Curran at centre back, a yawning cavity would appear in the Rebel defence. Suddenly, at just 26, Curran is bracketed as the ‘senior player’, and someone to whom the younger players turn for guidance.

“It’s been a bit of rollercoaster alright,” admitted Curran. “When I came on the scene in 2003, I didn’t know what to expect, but it’s great to be in four All-Irelands in my first four years at this level.

“Those who came on that year are now the older fellows of the team. There are younger fellows on the team now and we’ll have to try to bring them on in the same way the likes of Brian Corcoran and Sean Óg helped us. It’s a conveyor belt and we’ll have to do our bit now.”

He’s on a side that seems to know nothing but how to reach Munster and All-Ireland finals. However, they don’t take such honours for granted.

“It would be dangerous to think like that. I don’t think we ever can because the Munster championship is very tough and you’re going to get no easy game. Last year, Limerick almost caught us, Clare nearly beat us the year before and Waterford and Tipp are always there. You can’t relax.”

After last year’s All-Ireland final defeat, this Cork team looked tired, and it was thought the advent of a new management team might have jolted them out of a comfort zone.

“I suppose it would if the comfort zone existed, but every new manager who comes in is going to have a new way of thinking and have new drills. Having new people, hearing new voices and having new ideas is going to help the team anyway and give you something else in your locker to pull out.”

If Gerald McCarthy’s arrival has heralded a new beginning for this team, then the constant focus of attention has been on Cork’s style of play. It’s probably the single biggest issue shadowing the squad this season, but Curran feels it can work to Cork’s advantage.

“We’d a distinct style of play for the last four years. We have other options and other things to look for — if that isn’t going right and whatever style Gerald decides to play doesn’t go right, on the day, we always have something else in the locker that we can spring, so that we’re not too predictable.”

If Cork’s style was the defining rhythm to a team that garnered two All-Irelands and lost two, maybe last year’s final defeat to Kilkenny was the day the music died, and the sophisticated running game ran its course.

“I don’t think so, because we’ve had trouble in a lot of other games during the year even the year before. The other concept was always to stick with it, that it’ll come good at the end. Other teams ... have maybe panicked a small bit and started looping high balls in, or going for goals.

“For us it was all about composure and playing to our game-plan. It usually came right. Last year, Kilkenny were very organised, they knew what they were doing and they had a game-plan against Clare in the semi-final which they were going to use in the final.

“They were practising for the final. It was getting predictable. That’s why I’m saying with a new style of play we have something else in the locker.”

If Cork’s style or talk of dissidence in camp is under constant scrutiny, then the Clare hurlers and the Davy Fitzgerald saga had an almost soap opera feel to the winter and spring months.

There’s also the perception that Clare, despite the introduction of a new management, are ripe for the taking.

“That’s a dangerous perception — you never know really,” he adds. “There are a lot of new young faces in Clare, and they’re very good players. But basically we’ll be concentrating on ourselves. We won’t think about Clare at all really. We’ll let them to their own devices and we just hope to get ourselves as well prepared as we can.”

Early season battles with the Banner are becoming an annual occurrence. “You know what you’re going to get from Clare — it’s going to be tough, it’s going to be physical and the first ten minutes are going to be hell for leather. Clare are a very honest team.

“Last year, we were down five or six points in the first half, battled back well and played very well that day. The year before, we got a really bad scare. You know what you’re going to get and you just have to be up for it.”

And if Cork can overcome Clare, there is plenty unfinished business ahead. Like a chance to redeem themselves against the Cats. “There’s nowhere you’d prefer to be in the world than in All-Ireland finals. It’s a great feeling. All you want to do is get back there, especially after losing last year. You want to get back there and put things right.”