'There's no accusation to anyone': Ben O’Connor clarifies Cork hurlers work rate remarks

To the small matter of Sunday’s Munster hurling final. Ben has expressed admiration for Cork's opponents nearly as frequently as he’s referenced the work ethic of his own crew.

VIEW FROM WITHIN: If the past seven months have taught Cork boss Ben O’Connor anything, it’s that you really haven’t a clue what work inter-county players are putting in until you are part of the inner circle. Pic: Jim Coughlan

During his RTÉ television interview following Cork's Munster SHC win over Clare, the manager Ben O’Connor was asked, in light of the ferocity shown to overwhelm the Banner, what had been the message to his players in the week leading up to the game?

“We’re just looking for work rate out of every fella, and I think you’re seeing that there,” replied O'Connor, before then expanding on his answer.

“I suppose down through the years, Cork might have been accused of fellas… nice hurlers but not working hard. We’re trying to change that.” 

Cork held a Munster final press event the day after the win over Clare. The Irish Examiner asked Ben about the accusation of nice Cork hurlers who didn’t work hard.

“What I was saying was that since I got involved, I've seen what fellas have been putting into it. If I was standing outside looking in, not being involved, you could say, 'They should be doing this, they should be doing that'. But since I got involved in the group, I can see what fellas are putting into it. Every one of them works so hard. There's no accusation to anyone,” said the Cork boss.

Prior to taking the reins, Ben too was standing on the outside. He too offered opinion from the outside, albeit very infrequently. One such was an interview in the Irish Independent ahead of Cork’s 2020 All-Ireland qualifier against Tipp where he expressed bafflement at “the lack of team play” up front during the two previous outings against Waterford and Dublin.

Further on in the same conversation when discussing Cork’s inconsistency, he said “fellas need to have a look at themselves”.

Knowing what he knows now, such opinions might be more slowly offered. If the past seven months have taught him anything, it’s that you really haven’t a clue what work players are putting in until you are part of the inner circle.

“I'll put it to you this way: I played here in the Páirc how ever many years ago. There was a fella on the team playing with me, and his father was sitting two rows behind my mother. He didn't know my mother, and he was criticising myself and Jerry. I might have been going poor. I often went poor. But he was above criticising. Do you have to be in the circle? You do, because a lot of people don't see it,” continued Ben.

“We started on November 17 and trained three and four nights a week in the wind, wet and cold. Pick out some fella who's abusing above in the stand at the weekend – if things aren't going great, there's always a fella giving out – and if you ask him to come into training every night (those lads have well over 50 or 60 nights done already), and just sit and watch it, not to mind go in and do the training... people don't get what these fellas put themselves through.

“I thought I did until I came in and saw what they're doing. I was saying to myself, 'Yeah, they're training three nights a week, they might do a bit of a gym session', but they're six nights a week, they're full-time. A lot of people don't realise that. And they're doing it for what? A love of Cork hurling.” 

Ben O'Connor speaks to the media. Pic: Jim Coughlan.

Back to the theme of hard work. It’s a theme Ben has consistently referenced during his short stint in the Cork job. The one non-negotiable he always sought from himself as a player is now a guiding principle in his sideline approach.

“When I was playing myself, no matter what competition it was, I wanted to be the best and I worked as hard as anyone else. You can ask the lads who played with me, I was never found wanting for that. And I don't think you can get to the top level without having that bit of grit.

“I don't think you can be a nice hurler and not have that bit of a gurrier in you as well. Everyone has to have that. A bit of grit. And that's what I'm looking for in teams that I'm involved with.

“It makes no difference how skilful you are. Once you're prepared to do the work and your team-mates see that you're prepared to do the work for them, it just spreads in the group and makes everything so much easier. That's your base level. After that, everything is a bonus.” 

Four games into the championship, how are Cork scoring for grit?

“I think we're going well on that side of it. But we have more to do. I think the fine weather will bring a bit more out of us now.” 

To the small matter of Sunday’s Munster hurling final. Cork are reigning champions. It is the county’s first home final since the last afternoon of the old Páirc 12 years ago. Ben has expressed admiration for Cork's opponents nearly as frequently as he’s referenced the work ethic of his own crew.

“They've kept it going so long,” was his answer when asked what so impresses him about Limerick.

“It's a lot of the same players that they've had, and they're able to keep it going. They play to a system that suits them. They don't change it for anyone. They believe in that and it has obviously been working for them.

“It's just everything. It's physically, but I suppose the most impressive thing is mentally. To think that they've been that successful but they're still driving on.

“This is one of the bigger days in the hurling calendar. There's only one day bigger than Munster hurling final day.” 

CORK SPORT

A collection of the latest sports news, reports and analysis from Cork.