Key games for 4 Cork teams
Four Cork teams are in action this weekend, with 3 on the road while the 4th begin their season.
With the exception of the camogie team, the 3 remaining games could very well determine how their league campaign will pan out.
Allianz NHL Division 1A
Cork v Tipperary on Saturday in Semple Stadium Thurles at 7.30pm
“Apart from the long term injury to Padraig (Power) which is very unfortunate as his form was excellent, the rest are just little niggles and while a few will miss this game, they should be back for the Kilkenny game,” said Cork manager Pat Ryan ahead of the trip to Thurles.
Among those likely to sit out Saturday are Shane Kingston, Mark Coleman and Robert Downey.
On the plus side, the 3 week break since the draw with Limerick has helped as Pat explained: “The Fitzgibbon is over, the Sars lads are back and we have had some very good and productive sessions in the last couple of weeks and that helps.”
Pat has is also happy with the start of the league. “We could have lost to Limerick but battled to get a deserved draw and now the focus is very much on our next game; we have a busy 3 weeks coming up so the results will tell us where we are.”
The manager knows that Tipp on Saturday night will be a different proposition to when we last played them “They will; 2 good wins and a really good display against Limerick last time out, but that is what we want and we are looking forward to it.”
They did look good against Limerick; Sean Kenneally got a great goal, he finished with 1-3, Michael Breen, Ronan Maher and Gearoid O’Connor all impressed.
Darragh McCarthy was unerring with his free taking (0-9), but a concern is that he was the only scorer in the last 20 minutes.
Cork’s starting 15 will be interesting but should include Patrick Collins, Ciaran Joyce, Eoin Downey and Niall O’Leary in defence.
Tim O’Mahoney and Darragh Fitzgibbon could feature in midfield, while Shane Barrett, Alan Connolly, Brian Hayes and Luke Meade will all be in the mix.
Cork were easy winners back in the summer but the weather will be different, Tipp will be better, but Cork should win.
The match is live on C103.
Allianz NFL Division 2
Cork v Monaghan on Sunday in Grattan Park Inniskeen at 1.30pm
Two wins from three and it really should be three from three and when it comes down to it, pardon the pun, will Cork regret that 1 point loss to Down in Newry?
It’s Cork’s most productive start to the league in recent years, they lost their opening 3 games last year, but as John Cleary said: “We have some tough games ahead”.
John also made the point that “we rode our luck at times tonight (against Westmeath) but we take it and move on and now focus on Monaghan.”
The Ulster side were relegated last year and after a defeat to Roscommon are on 4 points along with Cork and Meath. John knows this is a real test: “I have said this already there is no easy game in this division; even tonight we could have lost. You score 3-17 and don’t win, so we know it will be tough up there.”
It’s a venue Cork are familiar with, having losing to Louth in the championship there last June and Chris Óg Jones is hoping for a better result. “It’s actually a nice ground and Monaghan will be hard to beat.”
The Iveleary forward is revelling in the new rules: “Less tracking back anyway but that aside it’s a totally different and better game for everyone. Fitness levels will be important as the season goes on, but like everyone, we are learning with each game.”
Monaghan looked impressive in their games to date but came unstuck against Roscommon last Sunday, they bagged 2 good goals and missed a first half penalty.
Rory Beggan is really enjoying the new rules and the goalkeeper plays a lot of ball. Conor McCarthy with strong Cork connections is a classy forward; Michael Brannigan, David Garland, Michael McCarville and Colm Lennon are big players for the Ulster side.
Injuries might shape the Cork selection with Maurice Shanley the latest to join the list and the defence is really stretched, with Sean Powter missing out last week.
On the plus side, Ian Maguire, Ruairi Deane and Brian Hurley all made their first appearance of the season and all made an impact, which will give the selectors a number of options when they sit down to name their team.
Patrick Doyle made a couple of important saves, Brian O’Driscoll is playing top class stuff as is Matty Taylor - heavily involved in the goals last Saturday.
Colm O’Callaghan could partner Ian Maguire in midfield, while Jones will hope that others like Mark Cronin, Cathal O’Mahony and Eoghan McSweeney can add scores.
This is going to be a really difficult match for Cork to win and defensively they will need to be better, but even that might not be enough.
Full commentary on the match from 1.25pm on C103.
Very Ireland National Senior Camogie League 1A
Cork v Waterford on Saturday in SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh at 2pm
“Yeah back at it with a few weeks now and looking forward to the new season,” said Cork senior camogie manager Ger Manley ahead of Saturday’s opener against Waterford.
There a few changes to the panel: “Fiona Keating has stepped away along with one or two others but for the most part we are fine. A couple of other girls are not back training yet and we might be down one or two for the first couple of games but that will give others to stake a claim.”
There is also a new coach. “Liam (Cronin) has gone with the Limerick hurlers so Adrian (O’Sullivan) has come in and it’s going very well, he’s an excellent coach and the girls are delighted with him.”
As for the league what will the approach be? “Hopefully to try and win it while at the same time get game time into as many players as possible. We haven’t won the league for a while now so we would like to rectify that.”
Ashbourne Cup involvement has complicated matters but that is something every manager has to deal with. “We have a lot playing but that’s no harm either as they are playing competitive games and that will sharpen them up.”
Waterford are first up with Ger’s fellow Midleton man Jerry Wallace as their manager and they have been improving every year, All-Ireland runners-up to Cork two years ago, and Beth Carton, Alannah McNulty, Niamh Rockett and Keeley Corbett Barrett are all quality players.
Cork’s starting 15 will be interesting but should include Amy Lee, Maebh Cahalane, Saoirse McCarthy, Emma Murphy, Laura Hayes and Orlaith Cahalane - plenty of experience and quality there.
The last time these sides met in SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh in the Munster Championship QF, Waterford won; Cork will want to make sure they do not repeat that result, and get their season off to a winning start.
Lidl Ladies National League Division 2
Cork v Monaghan in Castleblayney on Sunday at 2pm
The fixture schedule has not done manager Joe Carroll and his squad any real favours as for the 3rd game in a row they are on the road, having already travelled to Galway (lost) and Tipperary (won), after beating Westmeath at home on the opening day.
They were poor in the 1st half against Tipperary but despite that thanks to a couple of goals were ahead at the break, and in the end ran out winners, confining Tipp to just two points in the 2nd half.
Joe was pleased with the win: “I was and anytime you win away from home you have to be happy, we were a bit unlucky to lose to Galway and we could really be on 6 points now.”
The manager also expressed his delight that Erika O’Shea is back in the team - “a real class player with plenty of experience and along with a few more nearly ready, we are moving along nicely.”
Monaghan though will present another challenge: “It will especially away from home; they are like us two wins and one loss, so whoever wins on Sunday will be in a good position as the race for promotion gets tighter.”
Cork are coming along nicely and apart from O’Shea they have good players in Emma Cleary, Katie Quirke, Laura O’Mahony, Orlaith Roche and Sarah Leahy. It will also be interesting to see how the dual player issue is handled as the camogie team are playing on Saturday, Hannah Looney and Libby Coppinger (if fit) could be involved.
A tough ask away from home but Monaghan had only narrow 1 point wins over Roscommon and Tipperary so Cork’s better attack, with an eye for goals might get them over the line.
Congress
The GAA’s Annual Congress is on this weekend in Donegal and 2 motions are likely to generate debate - one that if passed and that seems likely - will change the structure of next season’s football championship. The other from Dublin club Clontarf seeks to have players play 4 club games before they play inter-county, it might not succeed, but if it does the entire GAA landscape will be changed again.
Sporting losses
Sport was really put into perspective in the last few weeks with the untimely passing of hurler Michael Coleman, boxer John Cooney and jockey Michael O’Sullivan. Sincere sympathy to the families, may they rest in peace.