The Rebel saga continues to make the headlines One month later and we are still none the wiser as to any outcome from the dispute. What is different this time round though is that a team of youngsters has been put together and they have taken to the field full of commitment and desire to do the red jersey proud. Yes they have failed with the results but have shown great courage just to take to the field alone never mind the performances. The day before the Dublin game, close to 10,000 people marched through the streets of Cork to protest against the county board and the appointment of Gerald McCarthy as coach but also to lend their support to the hurlers of 2008. That would have been enough to frighten off a lot of people but not this bunch. You could say that they are out of their depth but if you look closely at the two games, there have been some very consistent performances most notably from full back Chris Murphy and left corner back Conor O'Sullivan. Barry Johnson from the Bride Rovers club has probably been the most consistent and has showed great leadership to his other team mates as well. They are certainly not the finished article yet but will improve with every outing and could be around for a long time yet in a Cork jersey. They were many pundits predicting much heavier defeats than they received and that has given these youngsters a new lease of life and a spring in their step for further matches to come. Importantly it has also has won over a lot of Cork support who might have had different opinions up to now. Is this the solution to our problems? Certainly not and every one would love to see a resolution to this mess and a merger of both squads would go a long way to resurrecting our slim chances of progressing further in the championship but more importantly retaining our status to compete in the McCarthy Cup again next year. A lot has been said by the three sides involved in this and for me too much has been said in the press and media to convince me that there can be no winner here and that there will be casualties. As I write this article it looks like the clubs will have the biggest say in the outcome to this as the members in each town and parish will be asked to voice their opinions in the next few weeks and the outcome of this will be very interesting indeed. This will certainly bring an end to it one way or the other and both Gerald McCarthy and the players from '08 have publicly stated that they will stand down if it is the wishes of the Cork public. If that is the case it could be the last we will see of the O'Connor twins or Tom Kenny or even Sean Og for that matter. That would be a terribly sad way for these players to finish their intercounty careers and also if Gerald steps aside, it could divide clubs so much that the damage will never be repaired and would add to the tension that currently exists between these clubs at present. What a shame it would be for us all, Corkonians who love our hurling so much. Believe me when I say it that this is ripping people apart throughout our county. Enough said - let's hope that common sense can prevail and a solution can be found. Tipperary deserved a better Cork team to unveil the switching on of their new floodlights in Thurles. Here's hoping by the time the championship comes around that Cork will have the best talent available to them on that day. I am not saying all of the 2008 squad but maybe a mixture of both. Anthony Daly and the DUBS When appointed most people felt that Dalo would instil more belief and purpose into this team than was seen previously. After two National League games and full points on the board that is certainly the case and even though they were not that impressive against Cork in their first outing - the second day out confirmed that is a team that maybe going in the right direction. To beat Galway any day would be a huge scalp but to beat them by 12 points says a lot for this new set-up and has put them in a great position to make the knockout stages of the league and dare I say it -progress to a national final in Croke Park with maybe a full house for Dublin hurlers? It is early days yet but wins like these inject new confidence and seeing their jubilation on the faces after that Galway match showed how much it meant to them. One thing for certain though is that the manager will not be getting carried away and will make sure the players will not either. For the Dubs now it is al about continuing the progress and building on what they have achieved already, which will make them a more experienced team come championship time. These games will be a massive benefit to them. John McIntyre will have a few sleepless nights and will be hoping that the Portumna lads will come back into the squad without any injuries or staleness. He certainly needs them all and old failings of the past are still coming back to haunt them. Key positions are still causing problems and now is the time to iron them out. Club Finals I have to finish up by congratulating two Cork teams on their success in the junior and intermediate All-Ireland finals, both defeating Kilkenny and Galway teams to create history for their own club and parish. Dripsey are only in existence for the last three years so that tells you its own story. Blarney on the other hand have been around as long as the Blarney Stone and have kept the tradition of hurling alive and kicking in this great village for so many years. This victory has to be their greatest triumph and they will compete in the senior ranks for the first time next May against close neighbours Na Piarsaigh. That will be one not to miss. Tweet

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