Cork selector Brendan Coleman: 'We'll do anything we can to put silverware on the table'

Coleman and Cork aiming to start in the league as they mean to go on.

AIMING FOR GLORY: Cork coach Donal O'Rourke, centre, and selector Brendan Coleman, right, during the Co-Op Superstores Munster Hurling League Group 2 match. Pic: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

The quality in Cork’s starting team for today’s Division 1A NHL away to Wexford is a statement in itself. It features 12 players who got game time in the All-Ireland final loss to Clare.

Start as you mean to go on!

Selector Brendan Coleman makes no secret of their ambition to win the restructured league in the hope it will lead to further glory, similar to Clare and Limerick.

The following weekend there is an ardently awaited clash at home to Limerick.

The initial target is securing victory in the two opening games.

“Obviously the start is hugely important and to get the first four points," Coleman says.

“Between Brian Lohan last year and John Kiely the year before, the data tells us you can win both. We feel we've got big depth in our panel and the more games we get at that level the more we can test it.

“It is probably a bit brash to say we want to win the league. There is a whole generation of kids who haven't seen Cork win, anything we can do to put silverware on the table we will try and go after. We have to go strong in the league and see where that gets us.

“The first thing is to make sure we come back with two points in our back pocket from Wexford. Then we can worry about Limerick. They’re obviously hurting.

“I went to college in Limerick, I have a few buddies up there and we had a few pints over Christmas and they are keen to remind me of the All-Ireland we won out here (SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh) which was no All-Ireland obviously. They’ll be coming down all guns blazing to put us back in our box.”

Currently there are 44 on the Rebel panel, which will shortly be cut to 36. Fitzgibbon Cup and injuries determine availability, whilst Sarsfields’ Jack O’Connor, newcomer Daniel Hogan and Cathal McCarthy have joined up with the squad, albeit the latter two are tied up with UCC.

Former captain Mark Coleman is one of those to miss out due to the injury.

“Mark Coleman picked up a little bit of a hamstring pre Christmas but he is back on the field, Wexford is probably a bit tight for him. We gave a little bit of extra time off to Patrick (Horgan) and Séamus (Harnedy), and Conor Lehane got married and is only back from honeymoon.”

The heartbreak of last July’s showdown was a bitter pill to swallow. They’ve taken the time to analyse the lessons learned from defeat.

"We did do a lot of good stuff so that's the foundation. You're trying to take the learnings from that, both from the mental and tactical aspect.

“December to now has been looking back at all the good stuff and all the stuff where we've areas for growth. Tactically, people talk about our puck-out so we've tried to maybe add a few extras there.

"Then you're looking at one or two things in terms of the shape of your team. We'll try those in the early games, we'll see where we are and we'll take it from there.”

Horgan and Harnedy are as keen as ever. For Horgan (37 in May), this will be an incredible 18th season. Management will look to strike a balance between experience and budding players.

“Obviously Séamus and Patrick are the oldest from last year. It’s extraordinary and they are both doing it at county championship level as well. We try to give them that space.

"You see the examples with Tony Kelly and Shane O’Donnell not playing a whole lot of league. Patrick and Séamus are itching to go again, you’re almost trying to keep them back a little bit.

“Loads of guys are in the infancy of their inter-county careers. We’ll be looking to bring five, six, seven lads up to speed and then you're in a very, very good place going into Ennis in April (championship),” he says.

“We kind of found a settled team towards the end of last year so those guys are obviously in pole position. The time is now for a lot of them.

"You talk about the older lads but we have a good steady cohort in the middle - Darragh Fitzgibbon, Tim O’Mahony and Shane Kingston - they’ve a lot of experience.

“Plus you have the guys we had on the 20s, so you have guys in the top, bottom and middle. Certainly, hopefully it is exciting times for Cork.

“Whoever gets the jerseys for the early league it is their job to look after them. You have your first 15 positions, then 15-25 and then 25-36 - they’re very, very important for your internal game.

“You see Shane Barrett, Ciarán Joyce - it takes that amount of time before they are fully confident at senior level. It’s a cauldron in there. I think the age profile will hopefully stand us in good stead. They needed that few years.”

Camp took them to Dingle last year, they’ll head for sunnier climes this time.

“We’re going to Portugal around the 11/12 March, that’s about four or five weeks out from the Munster championship.

"If we’re still in the league, it will be even better. We were in west Kerry last year and we were frozen (laughs).

“Businesses in Cork were keen to give some money towards that. It is good for the players that they get into that professional environment. We get five days out there.”