Seanie McGrath: Ben O'Connor has brought energy and spice to Midleton

Ben O'Connor made some big calls earlier this year with Midleton, bringing in Luke Dineen at full-back and a new keeper, Brion Saunderson

 Midleton manager Ger Fitzgerald (centre) coach Ben O'Connor and selector Terence McCarthy after defeating Glen Rovers in the Co-Op Superstores Cork Premier SHC final at Pairc Ui Chaoimh. Picture: Eddie O'Hare

A wonderful winter’s tale? Well, Cork’s county final was a decent game of hurling for sure, 24 scores against 19. That’s not a bad return at this time of the year.

As a spectacle what struck me was that it was a little traditional — we saw two teams going at it, more or less man-on-man. The Glen didn’t have extra men back on Luke O’Farrell and Midleton didn’t bring extra players back for Patrick Horgan, so that was refreshing from Ian Lynam as Glen manager and Ben O’Connor as Midleton coach. They trusted their players.