MacMahon happy to get chance to build up fitness

WHILE the Cork team that beat Limerick in the McGrath Cup on Sunday was bolstered with the addition of a few All-Ireland medal-winners, it was still a fairly inexperienced side.

As with two years ago, when the Rebels won the competition, manager Conor Counihan is aiming to use the cup as a laboratory for bigger tests later in the year, with the likes of Denis O’Sullivan, Richard O’Sullivan and David Goold being given a chance to shine.

Of the 15 that started in the Gaelic Grounds two days ago, five — Ger Spillane, Alan O’Connor, Kevin MacMahon, Eoin Cotter and Fiachra Lynch — were part of the Cork 30 for last September’s All-Ireland final, though the latter two have yet to start a senior championship match. None of other trio went on the team’s end-of-year holiday to South Africa recently, but Kevin MacMahon, who scored 1-1 in the 3-11 to 0-12 win against the Shannonsiders, is happy to be playing football right now. “Definitely, you want to get the fitness up at this time of year,” he said. “Playing now means that you can build up a bit of sharpness which can allow you to hopefully make an impact.”

And, while the ultimate aim is to do enough to stake a claim for a starting place on the team when the days get longer, the Carbery Rangers man is also fully aware that places on the 30-man panel are at a premium.

“Of course, there’s pressure to try and get on the team, but then there’s pressure to hold the place on the panel too,” he said.

“It’s bound to be like that with all the forwards we have coming on stream, in fairness a few of the forwards today were showing up very well, and a few of the backs too. Different fellas have been doing well over the past two weeks, so plenty to worry about!”

That third game is a trip to Tralee next week to play Kerry, the graduated curve of difficulty of games continuing upwards. “Kerry will always be tough,” he said. “If we can keep improving, you wouldn’t know what’d happen.”