JBM says Cork fitness levels increased

Cork manager Jimmy Barry-Murphy says his team have “worked very hard” on fitness since losing their relegation play-off with Clare.

Cork were overpowered in extra time by Clare that day but the Cork icon says his players have trained hard since then.

“After the relegation defeat we went back to training very, very hard. We had quite a lot of work to do after the relegation play-off game and we worked very hard for those five weeks.

“They were released to their clubs then for two weeks, which was worthwhile because they were hurling anyway.”

Barry-Murphy said it was a worry that the games had followed a similar pattern, with the Banner finishing very strongly.

“That would be a concern, certainly, and something we’ve looked at in view of certain games in the league campaign that we didn’t close out.

“We’ll be trying to rectify that and without going in to too much detail about it, because it’s our business, our fitness levels would be a lot higher now than they were in the league.

“Last year we felt we were at a much higher level of fitness during the league, but this year we’re tapering it better for the championship.”

The Cork boss isn’t overly worried about relegation from the top flight.

“Being honest, nobody likes to be relegated. You could do without that because there’s a certain tag that goes with it. I’ve been there before and I know what it’s like to have to build up again from that.

“We played quite well in the league in fairness, though you could argue there were certain games we should have closed out and won. Dungarvan was one and Nowlan Park being another, we drew in Galway — we learned quite a lot from it but overall it was probably clouded over by being relegated. But being relegated doesn’t worry me because we came back before and won leagues and All-Irelands after it. It can give you breathing space to build up with young players in a less pressurised environment.”

Cork have also had three challenge games — against Limerick, Tipperary and Galway — as well as a match with the county’s U21s as they try to plug the gaps left by Pa Cronin (illness) and the injured duo of Lorcan McLouglin and Paudie O’Sullivan.

“It’s putting the gun to our head in terms of the strength of the panel. That’s the reality — we’ve had to look at the panel, and why do we have guys in training if we’re not going to play them?”

Davy Fitzgerald’s side have impressed Barry-Murphy: “What’s impressed me about Clare the three times I’ve seen them is that they’ve finished their games very strongly, which is always a great sign of a team.

“They’re quite young, very well coached and any team that finishes like that, it’s a good sign.

“The relegation game went to extra time — there was nothing in it, it was a toss of a coin, so from that point of view you weren’t being outclassed or anything.

“But against Waterford they could have been further behind at half-time and they showed great resolve, great willpower to show they’re going to see out games. That’s a great credit to them.

“I’m not going to over-praise them because people will think I’m hyping them up. I’m not. They’ve been very good and they’ve built on their U21 victory of last year.”

The manager is hoping for a good crowd from Cork: “Limerick is closer to Clare and they’ll have a big following. I hope we’ll have a big following but the Cork public, let’s be honest, are probably a bit sceptical about our chances. That often impinges on the crowd travelling, but that’s nothing to do with us. We’ll give a right go.”

Barry-Murphy isn’t exercised by recent controversies about managers naming dummy teams.

“From a media point of view I don’t know how you get on getting teams from various camps — does it sell any extra papers on a Thursday morning? I doubt that it does.

“You go to a Champions League final or FA Cup final you get a beautiful programme with the squad in the middle of it. I wouldn’t see any problem with doing that, I’d go along with the guidelines — but equally I feel people are sceptical about the teams they get during the week. It (naming team early) can help you to make up your mind early about certain things, which isn’t a bad thing.

“But I wouldn’t see an issue with giving the panel to the programme and announcing the team an hour before the start.”

Barry-Murphy also paid tribute to one of last year’s players, Darren Sweetnam, who starred last week with the Ireland U20 rugby team.

“He’s not the only one we’d like to have there on Sunday, there are two or three others. He got two fantastic tries last week, he’s doing great.”