Daniel Kearney
Saturday 18 February
Allianz Hurling League Division 1A round 2**
Cork v Dublin, Pairc Ui Rinn, 7pm - eir Sport
By John Harrington
Cork hurling has gone through a couple of difficult years, so the more grounded supporters in the county are trying not to get too carried away with their team’s early season form.
Even the most jaded cynics among them though are struggling to keep down a bubbling optimism.
Last weekend’s opening League win over Clare was a seriously impressive one, and if they make it two wins from two by beating Dublin tomorrow then the Rebels will be really up and running.
Not surprisingly, Kieran Kingston has named the same team that started against Clare, and it’s one that has an increasingly potent look about it.
A leaky back-line has been a big issue for Cork in the last couple of years, but a feature of their play so far this year has been their tight and tenacious defending.
Colm Spillane missed last year’s campaign after tearing a cruciate ligament and his return to the team at full-back has given them the sort of solid presence in that position the team has been crying out for.
Corner-backs Killian Burke and David Griffin are sticky markers and well able to hurl too, so the new-look full-back line has impressed so far.
The half-back line is bedding in nicely too with newcomer Mark Coleman looking like a real find at wing-back and Christopher Joyce and Mark Ellis hurling forcefully.
Midfielder Daniel Kearney was back to his sniping best last weekend and there’s a nice balance to his partnership with willing work-horse Bill Cooper.
Cork have always had some quality finishers in attack, but not enough ball-winners or grafters to complement them.
Shane Kingston
They looked more balanced in that regard against Clare though with centre-forward Luke Meade giving them a good ball-winning presence, while wing-forward Shane Kingston is a dynamic, physically powerful attacker with massive potential.
Loads of positives so for Cork, whereas Dublin on the other hand look like they’re at a low ebb if their 16-point defeat to Tipperary last weekend is an accurate barometer of the team’s worth.
Two years ago they beat Tipp in the opening round of the League by 12 points, but only two survivors from that team – Liam Rushe and Chris Crummey – started last Saturday’s match.
The absence of the Cuala contingent is a big blow, but the panel's experienced core has also been gutted by a combination of retirement, non-selection, and a reluctance to commit to the cause.
Manager Ger Cunningham has brought in players like Paddy Smyth, Cian O’Sullivan and Donal Burke who hurled in the minor grade last year.
They’re clearly very promising young hurlers, but senior inter-county hurling is a massive step up and it’s unrealistic to expect them to make an instant impression in a team that’s already young and inexperienced.
Even though they were physically over-powered and out-hurled by Tipperary last weekend, Dublin kept fighting to the finish so at least they have the right attitude.
That on its own is unlikely to be good enough though to derail a Cork train that’s gathering some impressive momentum.
**CORK: **Anthony Nash; Killian Burke, Colm Spillane, David Griffin; Christopher Joyce, Mark Ellis, Mark Coleman; Bill Cooper, Daniel Kearney; Seamus Harnedy, Luke Meade, Shane Kingston; Alan Cadogan, Patrick Horgan, Darragh Fitzgibbon.
DUBLIN: Gary Maguire; Patrick Smyth, Eoghan O'Donnell, Shane Barrett; Sean McGrath, Liam Rushe, Chris Crummey; Ben Quinn, Domhnall Fox; Eamon Dillon, Niall McMorrow, Ryan O'Dwyer; Chris Bennett, Donal Burke, Fionntan Mac Gib.
