Denis Ring: Joining seniors in Semple a ‘huge incentive’ for Cork minors

The incentives for the Cork minor hurlers are many: To be the team that ends the county’s nine-year wait for a Munster final appearance at this level, to end the reign of the 2016 All-Ireland champions, to exact revenge for defeat by Tipperary at this hurdle last year, and to ensure there are two Cork teams at Semple Stadium on July 9.

We’ll begin with the last of these. Denis Ring knows what it’s like to be on the sideline with a Cork minor team on Munster final afternoon when the county is also involved in the senior decider. This isn’t a county whose supporters would saunter in at half-time during the curtain-raiser, especially when they’ve been waiting almost a decade to be involved in said curtain-raiser.

“We have experience being there with Cork minor teams and the senior team playing after us. There is no comparison, to be perfectly honest with you,” said Ring.