Counihan: no complacency in the Rebel camp

AFTER the difficulties of last year’s truncated build-up, 2009 has offered Conor Counihan a smoother championship passage.

Last season he was parachuted into the Cork manager post in mid-February and was left with a mammoth task as he sought to prime his charges for summer combat.

This year the Aghada man has been able to harness the benefits of a full schedule of pre-season activity, as Cork step out against Waterford on Sunday in their Munster opener.

“This year was much more helpful. We’d much more time to reflect and we probably know players better now. I think they know themselves better also and the style of play we’re trying to play. We’d a good win in the league final and we’re in reasonably good shape.”

Since then Counihan had the pleasing experience of watching former teammate John Cleary guide the Cork U21s towards national glory.

“The U21 win is of great benefit to us. Having guys perform at a high level and more particularly being successful, means they’re coming into the senior squad as confident players. From a Cork football perspective we need to keep doing the work that these people are doing. To do it one year is fine, but if we can do it a few years on the trot, you’ll really see the benefits.”

Collating every thing together paints a positive current picture for Cork football. On Sunday they set off on the championship road, with every observer outside their dressing room expecting them to win, and win comfortably. “You can talk about everyone outside our dressing room but the only people who will have an influence on our result on Sunday are those in our dressing room.

“If we go with any sort of complacency, we’re leaving ourselves open to being turned over. All counties are preparing well these days. Maybe before they didn’t have the same level of preparation but they’re all well organised now and in good physical shape.

“Last year we have memories of Limerick and the situation there. We wouldn’t like to go down that road again as we were just hanging on near the end. People say we won’t get caught like that again but you have to meet the challenge of championship.”

In national football circles, Cork are garnering plenty attention as possible All-Ireland winners yet Counihan retorts that late summer will be the time to truly define the team’s standing.

“Press and media in general are always looking for someone new to promote. With the U21 win, people are thinking we’re going in a good direction. But the serious punters have us at 8-1 and I think that’s more realistic. That’s a reasonable enough assessment of it. If we’re still in contention in August, we can start being talked about in that way but until then we need to make sure we get that far.”