Experienced duo happy to see Cork give youth its fling

CORK may be operating without a clutch of their established players but two of their most experienced servants believe that the county’s hurling championship prospects have been boosted by the influx of youngsters into the squad.

Already handicapped by the concession of the four points from the Kilkenny and Waterford games, Gerald McCarthy has had to operate minus the services of key figures, including Séan Óg Ó hAilpín, Ronan Curran and Jerry O’Connor.

Only five of the players who started last August’s All-Ireland quarter-final replay defeat to Waterford were on the field for the throw-in in the win against Antrim at Casement Park two days ago.

Also conspicuous by their absence in Belfast were Niall McCarthy, Joe Deane and Neil Ronan while Donal Óg Cusack, Ben O’Connor, Cathal Naughton, Cian O’Connor and Brian Murphy all started on the bench.

“There are a lot of names that wouldn’t be that familiar to a lot of people out there right now but they are good players and they have the opportunity,” said Ben O’Connor.

“They are pushing the older lads and that can only be good. Training has never been as intense as it is right now.”

For O’Connor, it was his first taste of inter-county action this season after his recovery from an ankle injury and there is further good news in the fact that brother Jerry is also back in full training after a groin operation.

“It was great to be back,” admitted Ben. “It can be frustrating watching matches when you are on the sideline but I was asked if I would be up to travelling up north during the week and I said I would. I’d been training for the last two weeks.

“The break would do you good as well. It is only since the lads started back against Dublin that I felt frustrated. It isn’t too bad being injured when they aren’t playing. It’s only training – and you don’t mind missing that.”

Coincidence or not, Cork improved immeasurably after the break against Antrim when both O’Connor and Naughton were brought on. The pair contributed six points between them as Antrim were left choking in their dust.

Given the alarmingly poor performance clocked in by the home side, it was difficult to judge the displays put in by Cork’s younger contingent but Diarmuid O’Sullivan is certain they will benefit from the experience.

“The young lads did well. Belfast is never an easy place to come and play. I had my first ever National League game (there) back in 1997. This was a good experience for them and they will learn from it. We need new players to be putting pressure on the lads who have been there for a while. That can only help.”

For now, it is the older hands that are keeping matters on an even keel. O’Sullivan and John Gardiner were two of Cork’s best performers against Antrim, their class standing out a mile time and again.

“It’s vital that guys like that get a bit of game time under their belts. We have a lot more guys to come back too, lads like Ronan (Curran) and Séan Óg,” said O’Sullivan. “Having those lads back will only strengthen us more.”

Despite their lost four points from the first two rounds, Cork now stand second in the Division 1A table, ahead of Waterford on points difference, and are assured of a berth in the last eight.

No other team is more in need of the extra outings the knock-out stages offer. As of now, Cork’s only meaningful 70 minutes this season was the round three victory over Dublin at Parnell Park.

Wexford travel south next weekend and Gerald McCarthy will be hoping the unpredictable Leinster side can offer some stiff resistance with which to sharpen his own side ahead of the quarter-finals.

“We need to beat Wexford,” said O’Sullivan. “We need the game time after missing the first two games, with the fact that we lost the games against Kilkenny and Waterford. Every extra game would stand to us going into the championship.”