Really fancy them to go all the day way

The previous football lads joining rank in 2014 speaks volumes

Really think they'll be on a mission.. They were bloody close in 2013

They had the first game won...

Yep, Cork will take some stopping in 2014

Fancy them to win Munster and go all the way through the front door

jimbodub (Dublin) - Posts: 20763 - 16/01/2014 21:36:03    1532809

That's the plan anyway.

RebelCork (Cork) - Posts: 789 - 16/01/2014 21:40:05    1532813

They're gonna have a lot more depth in the squad at least!

keeper7 (Longford) - Posts: 4088 - 16/01/2014 21:43:39    1532814

I think it will be another couple of years before Cork has a squad capable of winning an All-Ireland.

We rode out luck in a lot of matches last year. We might have nicked it at the death in the first game of the final. It would have been daylight robbery, but how sweet it would have been! The most positive thing I take out of last year is that the players never gave up and kept trying up to the final whistle.

The full back line is okay, as is the full forward line and midfield.Both half lines are unsettled, though, and that's putting it mildly!

A really good test lies in store in the first match of the league. They really must win against Limerick if they want to be promoted out of 1B. They are playing at home and a loss here would prompt a lot of questions, particularly among the supporters!I would expect them to play the strongest team they have for this match.

Midleton (Cork) - Posts: 646 - 16/01/2014 22:02:03    1532840

I wouldn't go so far as to say the first round of the league will be a test. With the number of players Limerick will be missing it is a game Cork should be winning and winning well

mike03 (Limerick) - Posts: 2000 - 17/01/2014 12:05:42    1532927

my idea of what this years cork team might look like:
1nash 2mcdonnell 3murphy 4o'sullivan 5cadogan 6o'neill 7egan 8mcloughlin 9kearney 10harnedy 11walsh 12cronin 13lehane 14horgan 15o'sullivan

hurlingexpert (Clare) - Posts: 1941 - 17/01/2014 12:17:37    1532932

mike03- are you talking about Na Piarsigh playing AI club semis? Sure they had only 1 starter for Limerick last year and if they are beaten by Portumna they will all be available for the Cork match. If you are talking about injuries, we have plenty of them too. Plus the fact that the Cork hurlers have not even trained since last September, Limerick surely have a few weeks at least under their belts. Sure Limerick should be winning this game and winning it well.

KeyserSoze (Cork) - Posts: 363 - 17/01/2014 12:19:42    1532934

Keyser soze Limerick will be without Hannon and Hickey. Plus the Na Piarsaigh boys because even if they lose to Portumna they will not be played the following week in Cork. So thats 3 starters from last year's forwards gone plus Dowling and Downes. Very little left to choose from after that

mike03 (Limerick) - Posts: 2000 - 17/01/2014 12:25:14    1532941

mike03 as far as i know cork currently have harnedy, cronin, paudie and conor o'sullivan out injured, all of whom would start. also david breen would hardly be considered a big loss from a limerick point of view.
keyser who said cork havnt trained since september i really dont believe that i'm sure that every county was back over christmas at the latest.

hurlingexpert (Clare) - Posts: 1941 - 17/01/2014 12:34:57    1532949

Its only the league anyway so win lose or draw the result will have no bearing on the year

mike03 (Limerick) - Posts: 2000 - 17/01/2014 12:36:41    1532951

Really can't see Egan surviving next year. Didnt fare well against lk Dublin or clare

disillusiondfan (Limerick) - Posts: 4279 - 17/01/2014 12:42:25    1532953

Mike 03 u r the only person I know who doesn't think playin in 1A would help preparations

disillusiondfan (Limerick) - Posts: 4279 - 17/01/2014 12:45:07    1532957

Cork are a long way off winning 2014. The addition to the panels are being over-exaggerated - grossly over exaggerated. Eoin Cadogan has ruined himself being a dual player. He had great potential but the requirements of being a top -class intercounty hurler are huge. Doing this while playing football also at the top level is impossible. Eoin Cadogan was awful in 2012 for the hurlers. The most basic skills were missing. In 2013, his football suffered big time as well. I hope I am proved wrong but I do not see big things from Cadogan this year. Besides, he is a much better footballers anyway and really should have stuck with that.

Aidan Walsh is also a much better footballer than a hurler. In fact, in my opinion this guy in 2010, showed enough potential to go on to be one of the great gaelic footballers of his era. However, since then he has been moved form pillar to post, playing full-forward, centre forward, playing with about 10 different teams every year. Instead of protecting a great potential like Walsh, we are in the process of ruining the man by now asking him to combine two different sports at the highest level. Now to be fair, he wants to do it but you will struggle to find anybody involved at this level to say that it is possible. You might say, fair play to Cuthbert and Barry-Murphy for being accommodated. I say they have a duty of care to players. When these guys are getting hip replacements at 28 years of age, they won't be heroes.

bennybunny (Cork) - Posts: 3917 - 17/01/2014 12:46:43    1532960

DF you don't know me so you still don't know anyone who thinks differently to you!! League never mattered to me, never has never will. Club, county, schools etc etc, all the same. Glorified challenge matches

mike03 (Limerick) - Posts: 2000 - 17/01/2014 12:55:05    1532968

yeah but mike03 even if the league games are just glorified challenge matches, aren't challenge matches the best way to prepare for championship matches?? and the better the quality of opposition the better preparation it will be. you surely dont think that playing against the likes of laois, antrim and wexford would be as beneficiall than it would be to play teams like tipp, clare, kilkenny etc. cork are the only top team that limerick will get to play in the league.

hurlingexpert (Clare) - Posts: 1941 - 17/01/2014 13:03:18    1532978

If it ok with u mike ( n even if it isn't) I will take word of top managers before yours.

disillusiondfan (Limerick) - Posts: 4279 - 17/01/2014 13:05:43    1532979

mike03
County: Limerick

I wouldn't go so far as to say the first round of the league will be a test. With the number of players Limerick will be missing it is a game Cork should be winning and winning well

It is important in that Cork have nearly always struggled against Limerick. A win would be important for confidence, as well as a step on the way to rejoining 1A.

Of course, we are not going to fool ourselves in thinking that sets us up for the year, but it is always better to win than to loose.

Midleton (Cork) - Posts: 646 - 17/01/2014 13:12:48    1532982

hurlingexpert- hurlers came back from a team holiday only a few days ago, and as far as I know did not train over Christmas either so Limerick will have a headstart on them in that. As you correctly pointed out, we have at least as many injuries as Limerick and Na Piarsigh have a minimal input into Limerick's first choice starters. There is no final for Div 1b so this first game of the league is effectively the final of Ib to win promotion to 1a unless one of them slips up against Wexford or Offaly later on.

bennybunny- couldn't agree more. Cadogan was awful in 2012 for hurlers and was worse again for the footballers in 2013 (destroyed by his Clare, Kerry, Galway and Dublin opponent and was still being picked). I can't see Walsh and Damien Cahalane making a huge difference either. Darren Sweetnam was/is a bigger loss to the hurlers than any of Cadogan/Walsh/Cahalane.

KeyserSoze (Cork) - Posts: 363 - 17/01/2014 13:17:23    1532986

Fair enough Midleton. I just dont think anything can be read into the result either way. I would expect that if these teams were to play each other in a proper game later in the year there could, and probably will, be as many as 10 changes between both teams. The match is what it is, a run out in preparation for the proper stuff come the summer

mike03 (Limerick) - Posts: 2000 - 17/01/2014 13:18:17    1532987

I think the lower tier will suit Cork. Thye have a few guys that need to be brought up to speed slowly. However I don't see Limerick or Cork being promoted. I don't think either of them will be taking it terribly seriously - but Wexford will. Wexford will be fired up and feel they have something to prove this time around. It's win or bust for them. So I expect them to gain promotion.

I agree that the extent of Cork's 'strengthening' has been exagerated. I don't expect Walsh or Damien Cahalane to come up to inter-county championship pace in one year. Indeed, I'm not sure Cahalane will ever reach that std - though he deserves a shot. I like Michael Cahalane. He's a serious hurler, but this is only his first year. The jury's out on Haughney - though he did impress in the county championship and does eem suited to the modern midfield role. Cadogen blows hot and cold. If he can settle in, in one position, he could have a lot to offer. But all the dual players need to concentrate on the skill level in hurling. They need to be razor sharp and almost faster than the eye. Walsh is a great hurler but he nowhere near skilled enough for this level -yet. I assume that football skills don't really rust as much, as long as strength and fitness are maintained?

Culchie (Cork) - Posts: 799 - 17/01/2014 13:27:16    1532993