Patrick Horgan
By John Harrington
Cork selector Pat Hartnett has credited Cork’s more experienced players with inspiring the team’s run to Sunday’s Munster Hurling Final.
A lot has been made about the impact their new kids on the block have made, but Hartnett believes the leadership provided by the more established players in the team has been most crucial.
“I think the senior players have been very impressive,” said Hartnett.
“The young lads have been good, but the senior players have been outstanding.
“Anthony Nash, Pat Horgan, one to 15. I mean, they've really led the way. If you even take the three forwards...Pat Horgan has been in scintillating form, Seamus Harnedy is on fire, and Conor (Lehane) has been phenomenal really.
“And Alan Cadogan has been doing fierce runs for us, the amount of hard work he's been doing.”
Hartnett has been especially proud of the resourcefulness the Cork players have shown in the face of adversity so far in the Championship, such as when they conceded what looked like game-changing goals against Tipperary’s John McGrath and Waterford’s Maurice Shanahan.
“I think the philosophy has always been that if we're unfortunate to let a goal in then the goal becomes a two-point score. We respond straight away if we can.
“We've been doing that, I think. If there's a score against you then you park it and you move on. You can't do anything about that and you impart that on the guys.
“But I think the senior players again, the way they've constantly responded, I can't emphasise it enough. I think they've been really good.
“Humble on the field, first to training, dedicated. Professionalism really is a given. It's not an accolade now, it's a given.”
Pat Hartnett
Hartnett is pleased with the form that Cork have shown thus far in the Championship, but he’s wary about the challenge that Clare will pose in Sunday’s Munster Final.
“Clare have won four All-Ireland U-21s, 2009, 2012, 2013, 2014," he pointed out. "That means there's a cohort of those players between 23 and 29, now that's sweet pickings. We're really up against it and that's not selling anyone a pup.
“So that's what they're picking from. They won the All-Ireland in 2013 and they won the League last year. So we're under no illusions. Okay, we've played well, we've won two good games, but we're acutely aware of what we're up against.
“I'd be quite concerned about Clare. We played them behind closed doors around eight weeks ago and they were to behold that night. They're a serious outfit. They have sublime pace, they can move, and they're picking from pedigree. That's reality.
“If you get five A1s in your Leaving you get five A1s in your Leaving. If you win four All-Ireland U-21s you win four All-Ireland U-21s. If you've won two All-Irelnad U-21 medals and a senior All-Ireland medal then you have those, you earned them.
“We don't. That's where we're coming from. But we're playing to our potential and that's what we hope to continue with.”
