Ben O'Connor: 'Unfortunate' Hoggie and Donal Óg comments are no reflection on Cork group 

Cork manager Ben O'Connor during the Allianz Hurling League Division 1A final. Pic: Ben McShane/Sportsfile

Ben O’Connor has described recent comments by Patrick Horgan and Donal Óg Cusack regarding Cork’s first-round Munster opponents Tipperary as “unfortunate” and “not ideal”, but said they're no reflection on his group.

On RTÉ’s League Sunday highlights programme, following the final round of Division 1A games last month, Patrick Horgan said Cork were “caught” by Tipp in last year’s All-Ireland final, despite the fact that 15 points separated the teams at full-time.

And then in the most recent episode last weekend, Donal Óg Cusack said nobody “rises or falls faster than Tipperary”.

At a Cork GAA pre-championship media event on Tuesday, the Cork hurling manager was asked by the Irish Examiner if the comments by his former Cork team-mates made his job any more difficult ahead of the trip to Thurles on Sunday week.

“It doesn't. People will say, 'You're only saying that', but we're in a group and when we get in training, all the outside noise is put out. Obviously, it's not ideal. But that's nothing to do with our boys,” O’Connor replied, before segueing, unprompted, into his thoughts on the reaction to Alan Connolly’s post-match TG4 interview after the League win over Kilkenny.

“A couple of weeks ago Alan Connolly was castigated for saying that he wanted to win the league, the Munster Championship, and the All-Ireland. What is every other player in the country looking to do?

“I just think the media are trying to make more out of it, maybe, than what it is. They're looking for a story, they're looking for something that will grab the person's eye.

“It was just unfortunate that maybe them comments [from Hoggie and Donal Óg] were passed. And then we have fellas outside the county that are trying to rile it up as well, to get at it as well. So, if you were to be getting worried or bothered about all that, there wouldn't be much time for thinking about hurling or anything. It's outside noise and we're not taking any notice.

“I don't think Tipp are listening to that either. That's all a game, I think. It's just stuff that's put out. If they get a bit of motivation out of it, well and good. But if you need something like that to get a bit of motivation going into a Munster Championship match, you're in a small bit of bother.” 

O’Connor said he was delighted with Connolly’s forthrightness when holding the TG4 microphone at Nowlan Park. The same as his own approach to engaging with the media, the Cork manager doesn’t want his players delivering scripted or closed-off responses.

“He was being cocky, that's what people said [of Alan]. If you ask any player in the country or walk into any dressing room, what are they going to say? That they're only training for the fun of it? If you're only training for the fun of it, you shouldn't be in the dressing room.

“I'm delighted Alan said that. I'm delighted he said what he thought. I like that in fellas. I don't like fellas just going along with the company line, saying 'We'll see how we get on'.

"We're going up to Thurles to win. Why not say it out straight that we're going up to win? We're not telling any lies to anyone.” 

On the injury front, the hamstring injury Seán O’Donoghue picked up in the League final has thrown into doubt his involvement against Tipp.

“A hamstring is two or three weeks. We'll know more tomorrow, but at the moment it looks like he’s in a bit of bother,” O’Connor continued.

The manager added that it is unlikely the similarly hamstring-troubled Dáire O’Leary will be ready for the trip to Thurles.

Elsewhere, Dara Sheedy’s championship debut for the Cork senior footballers could be delayed given confirmation from John Cleary that the Bantry youngster will line out for the Cork U20s in their Munster opener, away to Clare, on Thursday evening. 

The Cork seniors begin their provincial campaign less than three days later at home to Limerick.

“We just have to be careful with him,” said Cleary.

Defender Kevin O’Donovan will miss the Munster championship because of a foot injury.