Joyce and Downey injury setbacks but Cork will 'get on with show'

Former Rebels boss Denis Walsh expects Ben O'Connor to be ready for anything.

BLOW: Robert Downey of Cork leaves the pitch with medical staff.  Pic: Seb Daly/Sportsfile

Former Cork manager Denis Walsh says Ben O’Connor will ensure the group moves on quickly from Ciarán Joyce’s season-ending cruciate rupture and Rob Downey’s ankle ligament damage.

The Cork senior hurling camp confirmed Joyce tore his anterior cruciate ligament contesting a ball with Shane O’Brien in just the third minute of Sunday’s Munster SHC Round 2 win over Limerick in SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh.

Downey had to be helped off in the seventh minute of additional time and is expected to be out for six weeks, which would fall outside a Munster final were Cork to qualify for it.

The injuries put a dampener on the victory over Limerick but while Walsh feels for the players, he knows O’Connor won’t be mourning their absences as he prepares for the remaining round games.

“Ben will be getting on with the show,” says two-time All-Ireland SHC winning defender Walsh. “Ben won't be worrying about anything. I think Ben has everyone on their toes. Every player and every member of the public surely understands at this stage you have to be ready for anything and that there will be injuries.

“I mean, look at Limerick. Aaron Gillane is worth two players to any team, he was missing and still Limerick were nearly good enough to beat Cork.” 

Losing the centre of Cork’s defence would appear a setback yet Walsh points out the uncertainty around those positions up to the start of the championship.

“Up to three weeks ago before the ball was thrown in for the start of the championship, we couldn't answer that question, who would be full-back and centre-back. Let’s be honest about it. We were all guessing.

“Cork have flexibility to cope. The one thing about playing any, any sport now at a high level is that if you're not flexible, you're wasting your time.” Cork’s depth, as Walsh points out, is considerable. Declan Dalton and Shane Kingston may not be defenders like Joyce and Downey, but they were on the stand-by list for Sunday’s game as they were for the victory over Tipperary in Thurles seven days earlier.

Daire O’Leary and the Roches, Brian and Eoin, may also come into O’Connor’s thinking ahead of facing Waterford in Azzurri Walsh Park on Saturday week.

What Walsh is saying is Cork have the resources to cope with these setbacks. “It’s well known that Cork have loads of the players in the panel up to speed. And we were in an All-Ireland final last year and if anything, we have more players up to speed now.

“On a personal level, I'd be very disappointed for the two lads that are injured. And I'd be more disappointed for them. It’s the worst place in the world is to be injured because you feel that you don't really play a massive part. You can try and incorporate people into things like, but when you're injured, you're out of sight, you're out of mind.

“For Rob Downey, if it’s six weeks he’s out for, six weeks doesn’t sound like a long time but six weeks is nearly the bulk of the season.

“If you take the two Roches, you’d be saying six months ago that they are surely primed to push on. Injuries just cut them out at the wrong time. Declan Dalton has been on the team for the last couple of years.

“Daire O’Leary played a lot of games in the league. He and the others will be coming back in the right frame of mind to contribute to the team. And knowing Ben O'Connor, I can assure you that there won't be anyone found wanting in that regard.” 

In all his years of coaching and managing, Walsh has never seen players as single-minded and driven as the O’Connor twins, Ben and Jerry. The St Catherine’s man can see that attitude rubbing off on Ben’s panel now.

“What I could say about the two O'Connors? I’d put both of them in the same boat. I've trained a lot of players over 40 years, but to be honest with you, I never came across two players like them, and I still haven't.

“I couldn't say anything beyond that. They were incredible. Incredible to play, to train, incredible to look after themselves. And the minute they knew they couldn't perform, they finished up with Cork.

“So, I'm not surprised how Cork are going about their business at the moment. That’s not a shock to anyone.”