Is Ronan Curran right? Do Cork need more help from their pundits?

REBEL YELL: Cork selector Ronan Curran is interviewed by Micheál Ó Domhnaill of TG4. Pic: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

If Cork selector Ronan Curran’s request that the county’s own pundits give the team “a bit more help” sounded familiar, it’s because history is repeating itself.

Curran was likely referring to how remarks made by former players were falling into Tipperary’s barrow. And if it isn’t swagger, it’s negativity. Four years ago, his former team-mate and then Cork selector Pat Mulcahy spoke of how criticism closer to home was felt more by players.

“You’d understand the national media stuff as they’re a bit removed from Cork,” he told the Echo. “It’s more soundbites than anything personal. But what did hurt was the negative reaction from former Cork players, in particular those who have platforms on podcasts and social media.

“Some of that stuff came across as unhelpful and as having an agenda behind it. I couldn’t get my head around why people that understand the challenges – and privilege – of playing for Cork would forget so easily and have a go.” 

Later that week, former selector Diarmuid O’Sullivan concurred. “Some of the harshest scrutiny has come from people within Cork, who have worn the red jersey, people who have stood on the line doing certain roles as part of Cork set-up. It’s tough when your own turn on you, start to throw snide remarks, digs.” 

O’Sullivan would know from experience, of course. The year before, he was selector when Cork bounced back from losing their first two games in Munster to beat Waterford in Walsh Park.

As manager Kieran Kingston spoke to the written media in the dressing room afterwards, O’Sullivan was changing nearby and shouted over to journalists about what had been written and said about the team.

Curran’s sense is that Cork’s pundits could be wearing the jersey more often. Like those from their opponents. “There's so many podcasts around and stuff like that, and a lot of fellas are playing their own agendas for their counties,” he said.

Would it be fair to say other former players in the media are better at circling the wagons and quelling the hype? Mind you, they haven’t experienced the internal disputes Cork has in the past.

In times of crisis for other counties, pundits know what needs to be said. Last month, Eamon McGee acknowledged his old Donegal team-mate Michael Murphy “probably should have got the red” in the Division 1 final. However, there followed a big but.

“But what annoys me about this whole thing is that Michael gets preferential treatment. I would see it as the complete opposite. I’ve watched Murphy get dog’s abuse throughout the years.

“Listen, it was a red card. Murphy plays on the edge as do most of the players, as do the Seánie O’Sheas, as do the Aidan O’Sheas. For me, top players have that edge.” 

Jim McGuinness was unlikely to have been on the blower to McGee, his former player and brother of his selector Neil before he made those comments, but among some pundits there remains an innate sense to protect and serve.

Curran and Ben O’Connor’s references to recent commentary about the team or their opponents from inside Cork illustrates their awareness that lessons have to be learned. The two times Cork were really blown up last year (v Limerick in the Munster round game, v Tipperary in the All-Ireland final), they ended up being blown apart.

Twelve months ago, Pat Ryan was flabbergasted by how much Clare, the All-Ireland champions, were being written off ahead of facing Cork in their Munster SHC Round 1 clash in Ennis. “They’re All-Ireland champions, they took something off us that we felt we could have won last year. It’s mind-blowing when I see that.

“You can’t control the hype in Cork. We’ve our own papers, it’s a big media area. People have to make money and to write columns. The big thing for us is making sure we have the right attitude and the great thing at the moment is we have good competition between players.” 

In another All-Ireland final repeat, O’Connor must be wondering himself why Cork are again such heavy favourites (4/7) to topple Tipperary on their own turf this Sunday.

Today marks the one-year anniversary of Paddy Power paying out on Cork winning the All-Ireland, a PR stunt which Ryan later condemned as “wrong for a betting company to be doing that to amateur athletes, putting them under that pressure.” 

The two league defeats to Limerick have tempered such levels of expectations but only to a point. Talk of Tipperary falling as soon as they rise and only catching Cork last July have been widely noted.

Cork are right to lean into what makes their hurling sparkle, which is self-confidence. Alan Connolly, as O’Connor says, should be applauded for speaking with such belief but his hurling needs to follow his words. Outside of placed balls, his total for six league outings was 1-6 and he has not contributed a score from play in his last three games.

In this corresponding fixture in Thurles two years ago, his hat-trick crushed Tipperary. Connolly and Cork know they have it in them but it’s time for show, not tell.