Pictured is All-Ireland winning player and former Cork coach, Diarmuid O’Sullivan, at Páirc Uí Chaoimh as Pinergy was today unveiled as the presenting partner for Munster Rugby’s historic clash with South Africa at the Cork GAA grounds on Thursday, November 10th. Pinergy, who are also proud sponsors of the Munster Senior Schools Cup, are continuing their support of the province by #PoweringTheDifference for this game, which will see professional rugby played at the famous GAA venue for the first time. Pinergy is proud to support sustaining the future of rugby in the province, and supply 100% renewable energy to Munster’s Thomond Park and Musgrave Park.
By John Harrington
Former Cork selector, Diarmuid O’Sullivan, believes the Rebels are well positioned to win an All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship in the not too distant future.
O’Sullivan was the right-hand man of team manager Kieran Kingston who stepped down this year after his second spell in charge of the team.
He’s still regretful about the nature of their exit from the 2022 championship at the hands of Galway in the quarter-final stage when they missed a huge amount of scoring chances on the way to a one-point defeat.
But he believes the progress the panel has made in the last three years under Kingston bodes very well for the future as Pat Ryan prepares to take charge of the team for the 2023 season.
“Sitting here this morning you would be foolish or naive not to think there isn't an All-Ireland title in Cork in the next couple of years,” says O’Sullivan.
“The potential is there. There's an opportunity there. But it's how you marry that potential and opportunity together to maximise what's inside in the group to ultimately be successful in an All-Ireland campaign.
“We had a disappointing League Final and the subsequent results in Munster against Limerick and Clare were disappointing, but we saw a new identity to this Cork team come to the fore below in Walsh Park (in the Munster SHC Round 3 clash against Waterford).
“I think they've now set a standard for themselves. They've created something that's measurable for themselves. That they know every day they go out that this is in the locker. So they've created something measurable and have to use that now as a benchmark to progress going forward under Pat.
“They're getting stronger. You can see they're physically developing. They're now up to the speed of the game. We've introduced a number of good players. We've left a young squad behind us. I wouldn't deviate a whole pile.
“We should look to build on what we've already done and try to maximise it.
“I think Pat will see that too and really try to progress them so they can get to that level on a consistent basis.”
Galway manager Henry Shefflin shakes hands with Cork selector Diarmuid O'Sullivan after the GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship Quarter-Final match between Galway and Cork at the FBD Semple Stadium in Thurles, Tipperary.
O’Sullivan has regrets about how Cork’s championship season ended this year, but he takes solace from the fact he and the rest of Kieran Kingston’s management team have left the Cork panel in a healthy place for their successors.
And such is his love of hurling, he expects to return to a role with another team in the not too distant future.
“From the first day I started playing with Cork I've always had a huge affiliation with Cork and I love the uniqueness around the blood-red Cork jersey and everything it stood for from my playing days,” says O’Sullivan.
“To be able to transition that into a management role then was hugely rewarding. Yeah, there's going to be a bit of a void. There's definitely opportunities for myself there now, it's just to pick the right one.
“I've always loved the game of hurling and loved being involved in it and loved the way it is transitioning from year to year from one style to another and learning about how different teams do different things.
“As Kieran (Kingston) said, I think we've left the group in a very healthy place. From that group alone, I brought 22 of the 36-man Cork senior panel we had this year through the development squad system so I know those players quite well.
“I think we're leaving things in a healthy place and that's the most important thing for Pat and the guys coming in behind us.”
Cork manager Pat Ryan celebrates with Colm McCarthy, left, and Daniel Hogan after the 2021 GAA Hurling All-Ireland U20 Championship Final match between Cork and Galway at Semple Stadium in Thurles, Tipperary.
Pat Ryan previously served as a Cork senior hurling selector alongside O’Sullivan during Kieran Kington’s first spell in charge of the team in 2016 and 2017.
He then went on to manage the Cork U20 hurlers to All-Ireland titles in 2020 and 2021, so had an indepth knowledge of most of the players that were part of the Cork senior panel this year.
Having played with Ryan in the past and coached alongside him under Kingston, O’Sullivan is confident the newly appointed Cork manager can be successful in the role.
“I know Pat very, very well,” says O’Sullivan. “We were successful together. We won a couple of Munster and U-21 All-Irelands together and a senior All-Ireland, National league, and a couple of Munster seniors together.
“Obviously Pat has had a very good coaching career with Sarsfields and then subsequently came in with us and then took on the U-20s and done really, really well. So Pat has the ability obviously to get the maximum out of teams.
“He needs to be allowed the time to breathe and develop his way within the group, especially over the course of the National League. Teams aren't going to be worried a whole pile about it so it gives Pat an opportunity to start putting his stamp on the group he has now inherited which he would have previously worked with a lot anyway.”
