National Forum

Cork Hurling 2023

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It's been a long time since I posted on this, but felt it about time there was a Cork hurling thread (appreciate there's not many Cork posters on here).

Anyway, looking forward to the trip to Nowlan park on Sunday as I believe it's the type of physical test this young Cork team needs. To date they've done well enough in the league, without actually setting the place on fire, but that's not really surprising when you consider the amount of injuries to established players.

The silver lining in all this, is that Pat and his team have managed to blood a considerable amount of the double U20 AI winning players, and to great effect too. I'm really excited about the likes of Eoin Downey, the Roche brothers and P. Power, and I really liked how we've battled back from losing positions on a number of occasions. Appreciate that it's only the league but you can't beat that winning mentality. Anyway, onto Sunday and KK. I believe Cork will really want to win this one, as they start late in Munster and a shot at the league final against Tipp or Limerick will tee them up nicely for their first game against Waterford.

That said, Limerick by far, are still the team beat, with the rest of us still playing catch up but Pat is building a nice panel with real strength and depth, which for the first time in years has me looking forward to the year ahead...

bloodandbandage (Cork) - Posts: 272 - 24/03/2023 15:50:57    2466311

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Ah great examination tommorrow in the Marble City, Kilkenny will bring the stress test these lads need.

Nowlan Park lovely venue & the hostile environment is no harm at all, lads having to operate & perform in close hard contact is just what the doctor ordered.
Nothing like having your mettle tested by The Cats.

Safe travels to all making the journey.

Corcaigh abu, Rebels abu.

St.Mologga (Cork) - Posts: 101 - 25/03/2023 11:38:37    2466412

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Replying To St.Mologga:  "Ah great examination tommorrow in the Marble City, Kilkenny will bring the stress test these lads need.

Nowlan Park lovely venue & the hostile environment is no harm at all, lads having to operate & perform in close hard contact is just what the doctor ordered.
Nothing like having your mettle tested by The Cats.

Safe travels to all making the journey.

Corcaigh abu, Rebels abu."
Depends what way Lyng is doing training blocks at the moment, but yes in general any Kilkenny team at any grade will play hard.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 11725 - 25/03/2023 13:18:15    2466442

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Have been impressed with the panel cork are putting together, and it looks like there's plenty more in them.

The traditional big two may not be where they were 20 years ago but always a good contest.

Looking forward to it from a neutral perspective too.

We should get a good look at what we're facing in leinster.

Doylerwex (Wexford) - Posts: 2625 - 25/03/2023 14:20:15    2466469

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Replying To Viking66:  "Depends what way Lyng is doing training blocks at the moment, but yes in general any Kilkenny team at any grade will play hard."
Fair point, but I expect in front of their home support they are not going to roll out the red carpet for us. I believe Kilkenny will approach this fixture fully loaded & will be anxious to send us home on a somber note.

St.Mologga (Cork) - Posts: 101 - 25/03/2023 16:04:15    2466513

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Replying To St.Mologga:  "Fair point, but I expect in front of their home support they are not going to roll out the red carpet for us. I believe Kilkenny will approach this fixture fully loaded & will be anxious to send us home on a somber note."
That would be their usual form. Not sure how close to 100% Mullen is and TJ unlikely to start.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 11725 - 25/03/2023 17:13:13    2466529

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Replying To Viking66:  "That would be their usual form. Not sure how close to 100% Mullen is and TJ unlikely to start."
I think their Ballyhale lads are out as well, but who fills that black & amber jersey will fight might & mane for their club & county.

St.Mologga (Cork) - Posts: 101 - 25/03/2023 18:03:30    2466547

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Replying To St.Mologga:  "I think their Ballyhale lads are out as well, but who fills that black & amber jersey will fight might & mane for their club & county."
Some are back. Cody and Corcoran played against Waterford

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 11725 - 25/03/2023 19:08:35    2466557

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Lid down in front of Kilkenny today. I thought that there'd be a bit of fight in them, well in the new lads that they've brought in anyway. A loss is a loss and can happen any county, but a defeat of that nature could set Cork back miles. Very weak.

foreveryoung (USA) - Posts: 1903 - 26/03/2023 18:45:35    2466846

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We got the required gut check, how Pat Ryan & his team respond to today's defeat is the next issue.

Kilkenny set the terms of engagement & we didn't seem to have the ability to dictate or imprint our own game plan.

Some of our shooting was Hail Mary stuff, not measured play which Limerick are especially good at.

We have a knack of taking pot shots & in the modern game a heavy price is paid for such wasteful play.

St.Mologga (Cork) - Posts: 101 - 26/03/2023 20:36:18    2466901

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Replying To foreveryoung:  "Lid down in front of Kilkenny today. I thought that there'd be a bit of fight in them, well in the new lads that they've brought in anyway. A loss is a loss and can happen any county, but a defeat of that nature could set Cork back miles. Very weak."
Cork hurling is far too nice, that's half the problem

Bon (Kildare) - Posts: 1898 - 26/03/2023 22:02:27    2466949

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Replying To Bon:  "Cork hurling is far too nice, that's half the problem"
Think their club refereeing being stricter down there is some of the problem Bon.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 11725 - 27/03/2023 07:45:09    2466956

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Replying To Viking66:  "Think their club refereeing being stricter down there is some of the problem Bon."
I know a guy who coached at senior level down there and he said exactly what you said too. He moved to Kilkenny then coaching and couldn't get over the difference in refereeing and what was being let go.

Bon (Kildare) - Posts: 1898 - 27/03/2023 13:10:53    2467057

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Replying To Bon:  "Cork hurling is far too nice, that's half the problem"
Agree with this. As a whole we haven't seen a cork forward throw his body on the line in 10 years. Compare it to how Kilkenny tackle with no care for their own safety and stop a man coming out at any cost. Their backs are no different. They had plenty of rogues around the field when they won their last all Ireland but they're far away from having a Rock or a Niall Mc in their team now
I even thought their touch in general was really poor throughout the game…even in instances where there was no pressure on them. Just was no where near as slick as you'd expect
A defeat in March won't define them though but a lot of improvement is needed

tiobraid (Tipperary) - Posts: 4119 - 27/03/2023 13:24:34    2467064

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I'm wondering how cork bring a physicality that is needed..a player needs to have it in him at 20/21/22,can't be coached into them if they havnt got it..I'd ask ye could ye name 10 of the starting 15 for first round of championship?think it is harder for them to name the team now.i expect Downey to be cleared as it looks as if he didn't do a whole not..he suffered for what happened earlier with cahalane..thought the touch of some players yesterday was downright awful..is daragh Fitz injured??he is a huge loss to cork??can I ask ye do ye start cahalane,harnedy,Horgan,cadogan and dalton??i expected huge things from dalton but he doesn't seem to have pushed on or is it that he hasn't got to get a long enough run in the team..

CTGAA10 (Limerick) - Posts: 2206 - 27/03/2023 14:08:50    2467082

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Would Cork have the most adult club hurlers of any county in Ireland ? i would say so with all the clubs its hard to see how Cork are as underperforming as they have been in recent years.

OpenStand (Limerick) - Posts: 669 - 27/03/2023 16:01:14    2467116

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Replying To OpenStand:  "Would Cork have the most adult club hurlers of any county in Ireland ? i would say so with all the clubs its hard to see how Cork are as underperforming as they have been in recent years."
They have by far and away the most. Followed by Galway, Tipp and Dublin.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 11725 - 27/03/2023 17:05:30    2467130

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Replying To OpenStand:  "Would Cork have the most adult club hurlers of any county in Ireland ? i would say so with all the clubs its hard to see how Cork are as underperforming as they have been in recent years."
Can you not fathom why Limerick are the top dog? No?

baire (Galway) - Posts: 1785 - 28/03/2023 08:49:02    2467212

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Replying To Viking66:  "They have by far and away the most. Followed by Galway, Tipp and Dublin."
https://www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2022/0322/1287753-hurling-census-2022-population-hurlers-density/

For those interested.


If we are to consider Map 2 a measurement of hurling density, such an indicator might better reflect the health of the game rather than its overall popularity. Unsurprisingly, only Dublin (15.33/km2) contains at least one starting team worth of hurlers per square kilometre. The next most densely populated counties in terms of hurlers are Waterford (5.27/km2), and Kilkenny (4.89 km2). More pressing a concern, arguably, is that 13 counties of Ireland have less than one hurler per square kilometre, from Down (0.83/km2) in the northeast to Kerry(0.58/km2) in the southwest and back to Donegal (0.40/km2) in the northwest.

Indeed, Limerick (9,980) has the sixth largest hurling playing population in Ireland currently, behind Cork (25,600), Tipperary (14,260), Dublin (13,980), Galway (12,520), and Kilkenny (10,080).

Tipperary lead the way in terms of hurlers per 10k people at 47.2 followed by Kilkenny, Waterford, Clare, Wexford, Offaly, Limerick and Laois. Cork and Galway scrape into the top 10 which might not be surprising given typically citys have a high % of foreigners or blow ins so to speak, which is highlighted by Dublin down in 20th.

tiobraid (Tipperary) - Posts: 4119 - 28/03/2023 11:52:04    2467264

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Replying To baire:  "Can you not fathom why Limerick are the top dog? No?"
Baire, you're obsessed with Limerick. From 2006-2018, when Limerick certainly were not top dog, Cork also underperformed. That had nothing to do with Limerick's dominance. Oh, turn around and blame KK, Tipp or Clare for it now, will you?

foreveryoung (USA) - Posts: 1903 - 28/03/2023 12:04:18    2467272

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