Sherlock sets Munster target for Cork

Former Cork star Wayne Sherlock believes that winning the Munster championship in 2014 would represent an improvement on this year’s showing for the county.

Cork were moments away from claiming this year’s All-Ireland when they led in injury-time in the drawn final against Clare, but they were never ahead in the replay.

The 2006 provincial title was the last major trophy won by Cork, and Sherlock – an All-Ireland winner in 1999, 2004 and ’05 – feels that winning silverware would provide another confidence boost to the largely young current squad.

“You’d never be surprised to see Cork getting to the latter stages,” he said, “though I think they need to find one or two more players, they seemed to be moving players around to fill positions.

“Getting to the final this year was a massive achievement, especially as it was only Jimmy Barry-Murphy’s second year in charge and it’s still largely a team in transition, so you have to be optimistic.

“I think that winning Munster next year should be the aim, as it would give great confidence. When you win something, it always gives you a huge boost.”

Players in their early 20s should be doing their utmost to get on management’s radar too, according to Sherlock.

“Séamus Harnedy has been a revelation this year and this time last year most people wouldn’t have been aware of him,” he said.

“Anybody around that age should be champing at the bit to get noticed. Jimmy Barry-Murphy and the selectors will know that there is a lot of work to be done, but they’re not far away. I think Cork showed a lot of guts to come back into the replay.

“At the same time, Galway lost a replay last year and would probably have been expecting to do well this year, but it doesn’t happen automatically.”