Gardiner’s exclusion ends final link to great Cork half-back line

Hard on the heels of Seán Óg Ó hAilpín’s decision to retire from inter-county hurling, comes the surprising news that his Na Piarsaigh teammate John Gardiner has been cut from the Cork training panel.

Surprising in that Gardiner, whom many saw as cover for a number of positions on the Cork team, is still only 29.

A commanding and combative defender, Gardiner, after breaking through to the senior starting 15 in 2002, made the right-half-back position his own and went on to become part of a dominant line that included Ó hAilpín on the other wing and St Finbarr’s stylist Ronan Curran in the centre.

“When you say to me ‘John Gardiner’ the first thing that comes to mind is he was part of one of the best half-back lines I ever came up against,” says Tipperary’s Lar Corbett.

“John Gardiner, Ronan Curran, Seán Óg Ó hAilpín, that was the pillar line of Cork hurling for many years. We never thought we’d be able to break it down and I don’t think we did, not very often anyway. I remember when John got GPA Hurler of the Year in 2005 he had a great season, but he was outstanding for a number of years. Cork had their difficulties off the pitch but that pyramid of Donal Óg Cusack in goal, Diarmuid O’Sullivan at full-back and that half-back line of Gardiner/Curran/Ó hAilpín was what anchored that team.

“He was an integral part of the best Cork team I’ve ever seen. He’s still only 29, it would be a shame to see his career end at such a relatively young age.”

Though neither Cork manager Jimmy Barry Murphy nor team spokesman Kieran Kingston could be contacted for comment yesterday, the understanding is the door hasn’t been permanently closed. But, given Gardiner was becoming more and more marginalised as the 2012 season progressed (he appeared just once, as a 50th minute sub in the qualifier win over Offaly), the prospects of the Na Piarsaigh stalwart making a comeback look slim.

Ironically, given their great friendship, it was Tom Kenny — midfield partner of Jerry O’Connor through the glory years of the mid 00’s — who took over Gardiner’s No 5 shirt in the latter stages of this year’s championship. While loath to comment on the demise of his buddy, Tom was anxious people should recognise Gardiner’s achievements.

“I’m a year older than John, but we played together at underage all the way up along, good friends for a long time. In the last couple of years especially, going to the gym and travelling to training, we settled into a routine, always trying to push each other along. As a wing-back he was outstanding, made the position his own once he made the breakthrough.

“From 2003 to 07, himself, Ronan and Seán Óg formed probably the best half-back line around. Individually they were outstanding hurlers, very strong characters in their own right, but as a unit they were exceptional, had a great understanding which they had developed over the years in training and in practice matches. You wouldn’t hear them on a big day but you’d hear them in those games, always communicating.”

Now, however, and as Jimmy Barry Murphy enters the second season at the helm, all is changing in Cork, and changing quite dramatically. With Curran gone since last year, Sean Óg announcing his retirement a couple of days ago, and now this latest news, that’s the end of that great line.

Elsewhere also there are major changes but, says Tom, (who still remains part of the panel), all to be expected. “That’s the way it goes – nothing ever stays the same. For the younger lads coming in now, the fact that they’ll have played with Seán Óg and with John means they’ll have seen what’s required to make it at that level, they got the right example.”