Cork boss Walsh says fans have September expectations

CORK senior hurling manager Denis Walsh has admitted that the coming season will be considered a disappointment if the Rebels are not in the mix come the business end of the Championship.

Cork are without an All-Ireland title since 2005 and begin this year’s campaign against UCC in the Waterford Crystal Cup later this month. Walsh is under no illusions about expectations on Leeside, with public appetite low for a transitional period as a new team is built.

“I think, if the truth be known, the Cork people, when it comes down to it, will half expect us to be in the shake-up next September,” he said.

“And I think myself the management and the players will be very disappointed unless we have a right cut off it - our aim is to be in Croke Park in September.

“There’s no five-year plan because people won’t put up with that and I think we were bloody competitive last year, bar one game (against Kilkenny in the All-Ireland semi-final).

“Our remit is to build a team, to be back on top and that won’t be done unless we bring in players and give promising players a chance - and we have been doing that.”

That policy will continue in the Waterford Crystal, with an experimental look to the Cork panel.

“We have to try and get base fitness into the players but against UCC, in that game, three quarters of our squad would be players who are new to the scene as such,” Walsh added.

“We’ll probably play five or six of the lads who are in the main squad just to bring a bit of experience.

“A lot of fellas are tied up with the college teams that are in the competition but we’ll have guys like Cian Fogarty, Paul O’Leary, Mark Ellis, Brian Hartnett, Conor Lehane and Eoghan Murphy.

“We have a fair idea of what they are capable of doing but that will be a bit of a step up.”

Should any of those who are given a chance impress, they will see action in the National League. While it is not a competition that Walsh is prioritising, he will be sending sides out with the object of winning matches.

“We have no focus on setting out to win it, we have a focus on trying to win every game because then we’ll see how the players are responding and what they are capable of. You can’t be jumping over the fences before you reach them.”

One big change for 2011 is the installation of Shane O’Neill as team captain. The Bishopstown man was vice-captain to Kieran Murphy last year and Walsh sees his promotion as a natural progression.

“I think Shane is an ideal choice and an obvious one as well,” he said.

“Nothing that happened in 2010 changed our mind on it and you’d be hoping that the captaincy, rather than putting any pressure on him which I don’t think it will because he’ll get plenty help, will further energise him.

“He has been an excellent player for us and we believe that he is the right person now for that job.”