'It is a world of TikTok now': Cork minor boss Donal Óg Cusack changing with the times

Cork minor manager Donal Óg Cusack

Donal Óg Cusack and Sean Óg Ó hAilpín won all there was to win as Cork minor hurlers, but you won't find either harking back to ‘our day’ when preparing the 2020 class for their restarted provincial campaign.

Fifty-six days after their Munster quarter-final win over Clare, the Cork minor hurlers return to action on Saturday (Semple Stadium, 1pm) as they face Limerick for a place in the Munster final.

While still holding fond memories of their all-conquering minor campaign under Jimmy Barry-Murphy in 1995, Cork minor boss Cusack is conscious of talking of a time before the current panellists were even born.

“They were great days. I remember as a minor being in a dressing-room in Fermoy and Jimmy Barry-Murphy being in the room. I can still remember looking at Jimmy and thinking, that is Jimmy Barry-Murphy and I feel so good to be in the same room as him. It’s great that we’re able to give back to the thing. The reality is, though, [our minor days] were 25 years ago,” Cusack noted.

“It might not seem that long ago for us, but for the players, that is one thing we stay well away from. They will never have heard from us, 'in our day', I can tell you that.

“From when I was a minor, things have changed. I think you need to really be conscious that the world changes, even the way young people learn. It is a world of TikTok now, a world of short short messages, it is not long stories. All of that you have to be conscious of, that it is not the same as in our day.” 

Despite there being no certainty that under-age inter-county competitions would recommence once the country exited Level 5 at the beginning of this month, Cusack said it was not challenging to keep his panel engaged and ticking over, albeit remotely, during the six weeks of lockdown.

“I haven't found it difficult at all. You've to set up a Zoom call, you have to talk to players about playing hurling, talk about their development, talk about different parts of sport, talk about the games at the weekend, talk about different incidents. That's not difficult. Or coming into Páirc Uí Rinn for training, it is not that hard to get either management or players who are interested in hurling to turn up for a training session.” 

He added: “Playing minor is such a big part of your development as a hurler, footballer, ladies footballer, or camogie player, so I would have been very conscious that it would be a shame if players didn't get the chance to play minor.

I am very grateful they have that chance and I know our lads are very happy and excited about heading to Thurles on Saturday.