Critics of Seán Óg ‘laughable’

JOHN GARDINER has described criticisms of Séan Óg O hAilpín earlier this season as laughable.

The 33-year left-wing back was, by his own admission, “beaten up a yardstick” by Galway’s Damian Hayes in April’s league final but proved that reports of his demise were much exaggerated in the championship opener against Tipperary.

So too, for that matter, did Gardiner and Ronan Curran.

“We have played together a lot,” said the 2005 All-Star. “We started very well when we did all start together and, in the middle, teams got a handle of us really, so we had to adjust to that. Fellas have put in a huge effort.

“Ronan Curran was outstanding in the last few minutes against Tipperary and with Séan Óg you know what you are going to get. People criticise Séan Óg and its laughable really because of the career that man has had.

“He’s probably been the most consistent player of all time, I’d say. He’ll keep bouncing back. He’s one of the fellas that we depend on and he’s going to be there again in a Munster final, no doubt about it.”

Gardiner had similarly strong views about what he perceived to be the rush to discount Aisake O hAilpín’s ability at hurling’s top level so soon after his return to Ireland from AFL last year.

Like his older brother, Aisake’s place on Denis Walsh’s first 15 came in for some scrutiny after the league decider but he too rebounded with a stunning display at full-forward against the reigning provincial champions.

“It gives us an option. He was out of hurling for a long time and he is another guy who got a lot of criticism. Although he’s not as young as other fellas, he is developing. He’s not fully there.

“I don’t think he has reached his potential yet. He’s an option for us and is a luxury we didn’t have a few years ago. He’s not our only option and everyone is aware of that.

“He wasn’t hurling for a couple of years. He was criticised after the league final and it was unfair for a lad who had been out for so long. It’s great for his confidence as well and hopefully he can go again.”

Both Gardiner and Aisake were speaking at launches in Dublin yesterday and O hAilpín agreed with his Na Piarsaigh clubmate’s assertion that he is not the finished article just yet.

As comfortable as he looked against Tipp, he didn’t feel it.

“I wouldn’t say comfortable. You go out on the day, you give the best you have, you give everything you have. If things do work out or if you do look comfortable then that’s probably what people look at. It’s not how I feel myself. I don’t think anyone gets into a comfortable championship place.”

He is certainly enjoying it.

Gardiner always felt that O hAilpín would have made the breakthrough with the senior Cork team back in 2004 had he not plumped for life in the AFL, such was the then 19-year-old’s club form at the time.

Aisake has stated repeatedly that he has never regretted taking his chance in Australia even though he missed out on a fistful of potential medals with Cork but he is eager to make up for lost time.

Munster medals may be two a penny in some corners of the Cork dressing room but there are enough younger faces dotted in their midst for whom the decider against Waterford will be the biggest day of their sporting lives.

“To be honest, I’ve only been playing the last couple of years and through my whole career as a minor – I didn’t get the chance to play U21 – I haven’t won anything for Cork.

“This is everything to me. It would be unbelievable. It would mean the world to me if we could win. You know what, I’ll just focus on the game. I won’t focus on anything after that.”

The Munster final will just be the start of a busy week for O hAilpín as he will be joining 5,000 runners in Dublin’s Phoenix Park six days later for the Irish Runner 5-mile, the first of the 2010 Lifestyle Sports-adidas series.