Cuthbert to continue talent trawl

Cork manager Brian Cuthbert hasn’t ruled out giving starts to the remaining players in his panel who have yet to begin a Division 1 game this year.

The Bishopstown man has started a massive 27 players in their five league games to date, and in that time, has provided 29 of them with action.

Sitting top of Division 1, Cuthbert’s reasoning is aimed at knowing he has substitutes capable of making an impact in Cork’s Munster semi-final against Tipperary or Limerick, in Páirc Uí Chaoimh in June.

“We’re after using 33 or 34 players overall this year (league and McGrath Cup). Our plan at the very start was any fella who was coming into the panel was certainly going to get game time. There are only one or two guys who haven’t had a start and I would be hopeful by the end of the league, everybody will have had a start. The big thing for me is I don’t want to come to June 21 in the Munster championship, select 15 lads, look at the bench and say ‘I wonder can this person do a job for us’... it’s a case of giving everyone a chance and seeing how they go.”

Cuthbert is pleased with how players have reacted when given their chance. “When opportunities come for fellas sometimes you might find something that you thought wasn’t there.”