Keeping focus on big picture

ALLIANZ HURLING LEAGUE QUARTER-FINAL:

Unofficially it was the Jimmy Barry-Murphy show.

The Cork hurling manager was the guest speaker Thursday morning at the meeting of southern sales professionals and he dazzled the large crowd.

The topics varied from his social media policy with Cork — a strict ban on Twitter and Facebook references to in-house matters — to David Moyes’ employment prospects (the Man Utd boss signed Barry-Murphy’s son, Brian, when he managed Preston).

Afterwards Barry-Murphy sat down to discuss his own managerial challenges, but he was keen to stress the positives of escaping Division 1B of the NHL.

“You’ve seen how Limerick have struggled in the last couple of years to get out of 1B — what happened to them there a couple of years ago in terms of promotion was wrong, I thought, I’d be raging if it happened to us — but I’m thrilled to have gotten out of 1B. Now we may have gotten a break that our form didn’t deserve, but I was thrilled to get out of it and to get back to 1A. That was very important.

“Playing Tipperary this weekend, that’s putting us back into that scene and it’s important to get them used to going to Thurles and so on.

“We have a lot of injury problems and we’d like to have a full-strength team for the weekend. I won’t call the game a bonus, but it’s another very good day out for us.”

One bonus for Cork has been the rise of Alan Cadogan; Barry-Murphy is clearly a fan, though he points out the Douglas youngster has been impressing against second-tier opposition for the most part.

“He’s been brilliant, he’s really taken to it. He played for the Cork U21s against us last year and he was so good we brought him in for training straightaway.

“He’s been a revelation, any opportunity he’s got he’s taken, but his form with the Douglas footballers, the Cork U21 footballers, it’s been phenomenal. He’s a terrific young fella, athletic, plucky - he’s been a bonus.

“But I’m also conscious of his football commitments with the county, the Munster U21 final is a big game for Cork and we’re trying to manage that as well. He knows the level he’s been playing at with us, he knows that himself, but having said that, he was very good when he came in against Limerick in the first game as well, which is a good sign. But the form is there, he’s a great prospect.

“There are others as well — Brian Lawton is someone we have huge time for, he was disappointed with how last Sunday went for him, but that’s all new for him.

“He had a great couple of years with UCC, and the lads up there are very good judges and rated him very highly, so we feel he’s a very good prospect as well. We’re very pleased with his progress.”

There were departures earlier this year for Cork as well, though.

Losing Tom Kenny and Brian Murphy means Cork have lost a good deal of experience.

“We’re very sorry to lose them both. I met Tom and he said he was going — I’d say he was a bit disappointed he didn’t play in the All-Ireland final. He was unlucky but he didn’t have any major issue with that — he just said he couldn’t give the commitment, which is understandable.

“Brian as well — we’ve had injuries in recent years and Brian gave us great cover, though in fairness Killian Murphy has been doing well there this year and Damien Cahalane is another option.

“I knew Brian was going to go this year and he’s a big loss. Everyone refers to his man-marking but he’s such a good hurler he could play him anywhere from the full-back line to midfield.

“His attitude in the dressing-room was also a huge positive, so was Tom’s, but you can’t keep fellas on to be a good influence in the dressing-room either.

“We were disappointed they were going but werespected their decisions.”

The Cork icon is hoping that any lingering traces of disappointment from last year’s All-Ireland defeat will dissipate as 2014 rolls on.

“Bouncing back up was a good achievement — we’re not dancing in the streets about it, but it’s still a big positive, and we’d be hoping that will put to bed talk about the All-Ireland, or a hangover from that.

“That was draining, it was hard for us but obviously it’s harder for the players to put their lives on hold for another few weeks. I’d have preferred to play again the following week because all your preparations are done.

“I found the break to the replay was hard enough, but at the same time you’re not down the mines either, let’s be honest.”

No. That might be how his son’s old boss feels these days, but Barry-Murphy has always had the wider picture in focus.