Flaherty: We must stand up and be counted

A VISIT to a builders providers on the way to Cork, says former star forward Johnny Flaherty, is Offaly’s best chance of beating Cork in this Saturday’s All-Ireland qualifier in Páirc Uí Chaoimh.

“We take great exception to the way ye blackguarded our neighbours last week!” he laughed about Cork’s 10-20 to 1-13 victory over Laois.

“I was talking to a friend of mine from Laois during the week and asked him what the hell should we do – he suggested we bring down a few sheets of plywood for the goals!”

But looking seriously at Saturday evening, the man who scored the famous goal to clinch Offaly’s first All-Ireland senior hurling title, gives Offaly a fighting chance.

“You look at how well we played against Dublin and Dublin are a big strong team, very fit, probably a lot better team than a lot of people are giving them credit for.

“Dublin went on to play very good hurling against Galway, under pressure. They had done the same against Kilkenny in the league final, held on well in both games, showed great composure. So that was a good display by Offaly.”

Hope then for the Faithful County?

“If all our injuries were cleared up we’d give anyone a game but, as you well know, in a small county like this you can’t afford to be losing big players.

“Brian Carroll and Joe Bergin will be there, but the big one is Rory Hanniffy, he holds down the most important position on the field of centre-back [latest information suggests Rory will start]. I don’t know how good Cork are either.

“I didn’t think they were good last year but they’re improved this year – by how much, I still don’t know. They had a very good outing against Tipperary, and they surprised me – a pleasant surprise, let me add, I’ve always had great time for Cork.”

The recent controversy regarding the use of O’Connor Park should be forgotten about, he reckons.

“If anything it has to help them – this is about fellas standing up now. We can blame everything we like but we’re four or five months into the season, we have to stand up, we can’t be looking for things to blame.

“I wouldn’t say I’m confident, but I would expect that Offaly will go down there and give a good account of themselves, put everything else behind them.

“In Shane Dooley, Joe Bergin and Brian Carroll we have three forwards as good as there is in any team and if they get going they’ll trouble any defence. We need everyone, and we need them fit. We need a good day, we need the wind at our back, but if Cork don’t take this game as seriously as every other game, if Denis Walsh experiments again, you never know.”