Dalo Live Show: 'There’s a confidence coming with Cork, but I still see a Clare win on Sunday' - John O'Dwyer 

DALO LIVE SHOW: Panellists Anthony Daly, TJ Ryan, Mark Landers and special guest John O’Dwyer in discussion on stage. Pic: Chani Anderson.

The Dalo roadshow parked up in Cork City’s Clayton Hotel on Thursday and Anthony Daly brought a special present.

It may have been a replica but Dalo had with him a Liam MacCarthy Cup. And on the day one bookmaker paid out on Cork to win the All-Ireland before a ball was pucked, he handed it over to Leeside representative Mark Landers. But not before TJ Ryan pulled out the Brasso to polish it up.

Dalo couldn’t be accused of dampening Cork hype on the night. And by the end even Mark was singing from the hymn sheet that this is Cork’s year.

“They’re after handing over one title already this year and they’ll be handing over another before the year is out,” the 1999 All-Ireland winning captain said.

There was a dissenting voice as John ‘Bubbles’ O’Dwyer acknowledged Cork confidence is well placed, but still sees a Clare win in Sunday’s Munster opener in Ennis.

“I think a bit of maturity is coming from a lot of the underage success that Cork have had over the past five or six years,” the Tipp man said. “The lads that are making up the bones of that team now have been really successful as players coming up and they have a confidence about them that they know they can go and win.

“They’re mindset has completely changed with all these lads coming through. There’s a confidence coming with Cork, but I still see a Clare win on Sunday.” 

TJ reckoned the hype around the Rebels has done all Brian Lohan’s work for him.

“This is something to keep in mind with Cork,” he said, “it’s very hard to keep at peak performance throughout the championship. At this moment in time they’re the form team, but I can’t remember an occasion when the All-Ireland champions were 11-4 in their opening game in their own field. There’s the touch of an insult about it.”