Championship brings change for the last men standing

WE’VE always known it was a hardship posting, but the rate of attrition for this season’s top hurling goalies takes some beating.

Donal Óg Cusack, Cork’s number one since 1999, didn’t play for the Leesiders on Sunday.

Brendan Cummins, Tipperary’s first-choice keeper since 1995, didn’t line out for the Premier County on Saturday night against Limerick.

James McGarry of Kilkenny, ever-present since 2003, has been sitting on the bench for the Cats for most of this season, replaced by PJ Ryan. In Galway, their All-Ireland final captain of two years ago, Liam Donoghue, has been dropped completely from their championship panel.

And finally, as we all know, Davy Fitzgerald won’t be back in a Clare goalkeeper’s jersey any time soon.

Some of those disappearances aren’t forever, of course. Some of them aren’t even for Christmas. But the result has been an assortment of dramatic debuts: Anthony Nash couldn’t be faulted for any of the five goals he conceded last Sunday against Waterford, but Donal Óg Cusack will still be expected back in goal when Cork open their qualifiers campaign against Dublin on Saturday week.

Many people have already commented on Brendan Cummins’ highly visible pre-game support for his replacement, Gerry Kennedy, before the Munster SHC replay over the weekend. However, Kennedy — beaten just once, by Mike Fitzgerald — shouldn’t assume that that’s a final admission of defeat from Cummins in the battle for the jersey.

PJ Ryan is the man in possession in Kilkenny but James McGarry — long a cause celebre among Cats fans due to a feeling in the Marble City that he’s been overlooked by All-Star selectors — may yet see action for the black and amber before this season comes to a close.

Liam Donoghue’s fall from grace has been pretty swift in Galway, and manager Ger Loughnane’s most likely replacement, James Skehill, has been ruled out through injury. The former Clare manager must now choose between two relatively inexperienced keepers, Colm Callanan and Aidan Ryan, for the harsh tests of the qualifiers.

The present Clare manager, Tony Considine, has also had to go with youth following the departure of veteran goalie Davy Fitzgerald. Philip Brennan was steady against Cork in their Munster championship opener, but unlike Nash, Kennedy and Ryan, he’s unlikely to be replaced at number one.

It’s been an article of faith for some time that the last decade or so has been a golden age of goalkeeping, with netminders expected to have more in their armouries than shot-stopping skills. Increased focus on puck-out strategies and restarting attacks are now expected of the top ‘keepers, and they’ve responded. Some temporary absenteeism and a couple of retirements don’t change that, of course.

We’re just saying that maybe Wexford’s Damien Fitzhenry should be looking over his shoulder, that’s all.