Morgan: why James Masters is a must

FORMER manager Billy Morgan claims to have been told by a current Cork selector that the county will not win a All-Ireland football title without the services of James Masters, who withdrew from the panel earlier this year.

Masters was a key forward for Cork under fellow Nemo Rangers man Morgan, but called time on his inter-county career last March at the age of 27 after slipping into a more peripheral role under Conor Counihan.

“One of the current Cork selectors said to me that Cork will not win an All-Ireland without James Masters,” said Morgan who was yesterday being inducted into the MBNA Kick Fada Hall of Fame. “I’m very sorry that he’s not there because he’s still one of the best forwards in the country, but he wasn’t treated too well.”

Morgan did not expand on which of the selectors – Ger Sullivan, Jim Nolan, Peadar Healy or Terry O’Neill – is supposed to have made those comments, or when exactly they were relayed to him. Masters may have departed the scene but there remains a significant crossover in personnel between the Morgan and Counihan eras, and the former goalkeeper is keeping his fingers crossed for two of his former charges in particular.

“Personally, I would be thrilled for Graham (Canty) and Nicholas (Murphy). Nicholas has played in three finals, Graham in two. There is also Anthony Lynch, but I don’t think he is going to be fit for the final.

“They have been great servants to Cork football. To work with them was a pleasure as regards training and preparation. They would do everything within their power to be right for a game. For them in particular, I would like to see them win an All-Ireland.”

Cork approach next month’s decider against either Kildare or Down with a number of questions hanging over what entails their best starting 15, with one theory positing that Counihan is saving his best for last in games.

Whatever the reasoning, Cork’s second wave have provided rich dividends in recent weeks, with Colm O’Neill’s crucial input late on against Dublin the most recent and perhaps most obvious example of that.

“Personally, I would pick the best team from the start and go at the opposition from the start. Nicholas has a back injury that so he mightn’t last 70 minutes but I would like to see him start, play 40 or 50 minutes, and if he can’t go any further then, he has to come off.

“But I would prefer to see Cork start with their best 15 and take it from there. Eoin Cadogan is a fine player. When he came on last Sunday, he did very well. He now has four weeks’ football between and the final to prepare. I would be playing him and, if Graham is fit, I would have the two of them in our defence. But it’s up to the selectors.”

Unlike most observers, Morgan believes Down and not Kildare will emerge from Sunday’s second semi-final but he added that Cork will not claim the Sam Maguire regardless of the opponent if they repeat their last four performance.

With Kerry and Tyrone eliminated, Cork have automatically assumed the mantle of favourites – something which brings its own pressures – but Morgan has been impressed by their fortitude.

“They didn’t play particularly well, but they showed a resilience. I don’t think Cork would have won that semi a year or two ago, but since 2004 they have been in six All-Ireland semi-finals, they are now in their third final in four years.

“There is a resilience about them now. I don’t think they might have won it a few years ago. After Cork’s goal Dublin went down the field and scored a couple of points to go three up again. You might have thought it was gone then but they hung in there. They are battle-hardened now.”