‘Cork need goals and a full-back’
The Rebels open their schedule against Kilkenny in Páirc Uí Rinn tomorrow night (7pm) and Mulcahy believes that, while there is not a limitless amount of margin for error, Cork will give chances to fringe players during the league.
“If I was a player who had been there the last few years, I’d be champing at the bit and dying to get out and show what I can do,” he said.
“You look at someone like Cormac Murphy, he was excellent for UCC in the Fitzgibbon Cup, he deserves a chance and he’ll get one, I’m sure. The Waterford Crystal Cup was good for Cork, okay they lost the final but they were well in it for a long time.
“If you were to look at Cork last year and where they could improve, I’d think that settling on someone who can consistently perform at full-back would be a big aim.
“Up front, then, you’d like if Cork were creating and scoring more goals. Luke O’Farrell was one of those who did well in the Waterford Crystal and it was great to see. It’s a good quality of a team to be able to win a game by scoring goals.”
Not since Tipperary did a league and championship double in 2001 has any county other than Kilkenny followed a league victory with the All-Ireland. Mulcahy doesn’t think that will deter Cork from taking the secondary competition seriously, however.
“Obviously, you want to make sure you don’t end up in danger of relegation, and the home games are important in that regard,” he said.
“Winning the league never affected Kilkenny later in the year and there is a danger if you let your standards drop in the spring it can be hard to lift yourself again for championship.”
To that end, a win against the All-Ireland champions would generate considerable momentum.
“Kilkenny have had retirements,” Mulcahy said, “they have a few injuries and they’re without the Ballyhale Shamrocks players.”
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