Decade into Cork career, Kingston more comfortable speaking up

Shane Kingston said the Cork hurlers' pre-season has been 'enjoyable so far'

Tue, 30 Dec, 2025 - 06:33

Stephen Barry

Shane Kingston feels that Cork have no shortage of leaders to compensate for Patrick Horgan’s retirement.

The Rebels’ record appearance holder stepped away in September after 18 years of top-level hurling.

His old teammate, Kingston, is heading into his 11th year on the senior panel at just 28 years of age. With a handful of other players carrying similar experience into their prime years, they’ve sufficient know-how to cover Hoggie’s departure.

“It happens naturally,” said Kingston. “You get more comfortable amongst the group.

“When you come in and you're young, it's probably a bit intimidating and you don't want to speak too much. When you're there eight, nine, ten, nearly 11 years, you just get that bit more comfortable amongst fellas, you get to know them better, and you feel comfortable speaking.

“If something needs to be brought up, you can bring it up. There's plenty of fellas at that stage now in their career, which is good.”

With new manager Ben O’Connor acknowledging that his players will address the All-Ireland final second half among themselves, those qualities are a valuable currency.

Horgan’s retirement also leaves at least one guaranteed vacancy in the forwards, but Kingston sees no assurances for any player to retain their position.

“Nobody has a guaranteed place on any panel, no matter how long you're here,” he said. “As Ben was saying there, people in different form, fellas getting injured, so it's up to every fella to be driving on as much as they can and staying injury-free.

“Hoggie's obviously gone, but there's no guarantee anyone's going to start the coming year.

“It's a great environment to be in and everybody's champing at the bit every training session. We're getting the most out of every session and every time we're together.

“Everybody is just training really hard, so we're looking forward to getting these games under our belt, the Munster League games, and then into the League. It all comes around fairly quick then.”

O’Connor characterised their pre-season training as a “pure slog”, but Kingston reckons the atmosphere has made it fun.

“We’re just in, doing a lot of running, a lot of conditioning at the moment. But it's been very enjoyable so far. New challenges with the S&C and fellas are really driving it on early.

“We're all looking forward to seeing what the next couple of weeks and months bring in terms of new ideas, new skills, and things like that coming from a new management, which is brilliant as well.”

An experimental Cork side were back in action three days after Christmas for the 12th edition of the Canon O’Brien Cup challenge match against UCC, which the Students won by 2-18 to 2-17.

Kingston was happy to get off the mark as a second-half substitute by netting a fiercely dispatched goal.

“It's good to get the cobwebs off and get a run into us,” said the Douglas forward.

“You need to be minding yourself the whole time, really. You're essentially a full-time athlete, so you can't take advantage of the break too much. But it's nice to get back and it's good to be down the Mardyke again, especially playing the Canon O’Brien.”

The Co-Op Superstores Munster Hurling League will offer more opportunities for game time, beginning with a trip to play Limerick next Wednesday. Kingston is content to see the pre-season competition return after a one-year absence.

“This time of the year, it's hard in the weather and things like that, but it's still good to get games in as well.

“A game is worth a couple of training sessions, so it's brilliant, and especially when there's such a big panel, it'll be good to give everyone a run out as well.”