'There is a lack of freshness to it' - Landers questions Cork selection 

MUNSTER FOCUS: Guest speakers Anthony Daly, TJ Ryan, Mark Landers and Seamie Callanan on stage during the Irish Examiner Dalo's Hurling Show Live. in the Castletroy Park Hotel, Limerick . Pic; Eddie O'Hare

Former Cork captain Mark Landers has questioned the Cork team named by Pat Ryan ahead of Sunday’s Munster Championship opener with Waterford.

“If you are asking me if I’d pick the same 15, I wouldn’t”, explained Landers at  Dalo’s Hurling Show Live at a packed Castletroy Park Hotel.

“We’ve won three under-20 All-Ireland titles in the last four years but we’ve still seen limited amount of those players on the senior team. 

"That is the concern that I have, you are shuffling Patrick Horgan, Seamus Harnedy and Conor Lehane – three forwards – you’ve a debut for Seán Twomey and Alan Connolly is coming back after two years (injured). That is a concern”.

The Rebels are favourites for the clash despite Waterford returning to Walsh Park for a home game after a redevelopment.

“It is a massive game for Pat (Ryan). If we win, the tails will be up and the wind behind us, but imagine if Cork are beaten. This, for me, was a game for throwing in the likes of Brian Roche, Brian Hayes, Ethan Twomey, Eoin Roche and Eoin Downey, at corner-back.

“I think they should just pin back the ears and have a go. The only similarity I can draw is in 1999, Ger Cunningham was dropped for Donal Óg Cusack. Ger was still worth his place as the keeper but Jimmy (Barry Murphy) decided to go with Cusack – because he thought he was the future. 

"I believe there was five debuts that day, the rest, as they say is history,” added the Killeagh man.

“I think Pat has gone with the older lads and he must be rewarding them for their training but I am concerned that there is a lack of freshness to it. Quite possibly, if that was on Leeside, there would be a different approach. 

"I saw the league game in the Páirc this year and Waterford were physical. However, Cork went eight or ten points up but they faded out of the game”.

However, the 1999 Liam MacCarthy winning captain believes that the Rebels will have too much for Davy Fitzgerald’s men on Sunday afternoon, but sees it is an opportunity lost to introduce the next generation of senior stars.