Rebels need forwards to fire

THE meeting of Galway and Cork is a huge game for both counties for similar reasons.

It’s well documented at this stage what went on in Cork between players and county board but there was a lot of unease in Galway about going into Leinster among certain board members. Add to that the incident on the sideline in Tullamore between a selector and a board official in the game against Kilkenny.

There should be no board officers on the sideline with teams and they shouldn’t be speaking in the dressing rooms either. Let management manage and let officers administer.

And speaking of administering it’s a pity they don’t seed the championship. If you don’t seed it you can get some of the best teams knocking each other out in the earlier rounds as is happening here tonight. This should be changed.

Galway have only played one quality game this year, against Kilkenny, where they have learned about themselves. They learned nothing from the Clare game last weekend because their hosts just didn’t put up a battle. In fairness to John Hardiman, John Moylan, Joe Connolly and John McIntyre they have developed a huge work rate in Galway this year, something which was missing for the past few seasons. Galway used to play more as individuals, now they’re hunting in packs and the selectors are picking players who are not afraid to work at the coalface. The forwards in particular are working like dogs. But you still will not win without a bit of class like Joe Canning offers. Though Joe didn’t perform in Ennis, he’ll have to tonight and so will Niall Healy and Damien Hayes.

Though Galway have the benefit of knowing they can win without Joe playing well there is a big onus on Canning tonight –big expectation that he will produce. But I don’t think that he can reproduce what he did last year when he got 2-12 in this equivalent game.

Adrian Cullinane is a big loss; he was settling in very well and I was impressed with his pace and attitude. John Lee was brilliant in Ennis but he’s facing a much bigger test tonight. There are wide open spaces in Thurles and I’d have a doubt about his pace when the hares are flying past and have no doubt about it the hares will be flying tonight! Overall defences can be found out in Thurles but if Galway are able to get on top of the Cork forwards they’re halfway there. Galway have a bit of momentum and they will play with fire.

Big and all as the game is for Galway it’s bigger for Cork.

I have great admiration for this team for what they’ve achieved. Against Tipperary they did well considering the amount of training they were able to do. Cork still have class all over the field. When you have a goalkeeper like Donal Óg Cusack, you know you have a man who controls a lot of the play. He is the one who gives defenders the confidence to go and attack the ball because they know that even if the ball passes them they have a leader behind who will take it and use it well. His intelligence is very high he always seems to do the right thing at the right time. Eoin Cadogan is a very good player but probably a better centre back than full. Athletic and strong he did really well against Tipp and in the corner, he has a great man in Shane O’Neill.

You have a fair idea what you will get from the Cork half back line. On his day there is no-one to equal Ronan Curran but what kind of day is he going to have? It’s hard to imagine that John Gardiner is now considered a veteran even though he is only 26. When Gardiner comes up with a big score from a free or from play I often think that, psychologically, it’s nearly more important than any other Cork player getting it. It lifts the crowd and the team. Sean Óg is the model professional. Hurling could be marketed on him. His dedication is immense.

As a duo, Tom Kenny and Jerry O’Connor would be up there with the best midfielders of any era. What athletes! There’s fellas going to the Olympics that are not as good at running. I’d have no problem giving these guys an Olympic grant and I’d say they’d improve under the grant too! But now we come to the real Achilles heel of the Cork team – the half forward line. Now you might say how can I say that with a guy like Ben O’Connor in that line? He’s named in the starting 15 but is he going to play? Ben is 50% of that whole Cork forward line. He is worth the admission fee alone – a brilliant player. If he doesn’t play then Cork are in big trouble. For Cork to win they’re going to have to get some change out of this line who seem to be beaten up a stick most days they go out. Inside Cork have the 10ft. man on the edge of the square! Aisake’s first touch has improved since the Tipp game. And being an O hAilpín he will have the perfect temperament. I wouldn’t care to be facing him and if he gets on top of Shane Kavanagh – a converted half back – then I think that the floodgates could open.

This is a big, big game for Denis Walsh and his selectors and I fancy Cork.

More importantly we’re looking for a good championship game here because I have yet to see one this year.

There’s little I can say about Laois and Limerick. Fair play to Laois for beating Antrim and they need to be playing in venues like Thurles in front of big crowds. Limerick had a good win in Wexford and it’s amazing how one result can often turn around a season. But with due respect, if Limerick don’t win this evening they’ll have to head east to Rosslare! Because they won’t be able to go home!