It might have been the warmest day of 2024 but the dark clouds are already gathering in Cork as they kickstarted their Munster Hurling Championship campaign with a 2-25 to 1-25 loss to Waterford.
The loss now means that Pat Ryan must most likely beat league champions Clare next weekend if they want to remain in the championship.
Speaking on the Sunday Game tonight former Rebels goalkeeper Dónal Óg Cusack didn’t hold back his thoughts on the defeat.
“It’s a big blow going down. There was a lot of positivity, a big Cork crowd. I think all of the old questions about the core of this Cork team have returned,” he said.
“We haven’t sorted the spine, especially full-back today, Ciaran Joyce. It wasn’t his finest hour, and upfront, we had four of our starting forwards taken off, which tells its own story. Aside from Darragh Fitzgibbon, Shane Barrett, Alan Connolly, and maybe Sean O’Donoghue in defence, there were very few positives for Cork.”
"Davy said it was all about championship and they delivered on the first day" - @MrJackieTee was impressed with Waterford today but he and @DonalOgC agree that there are serious questions for Cork after defeat in Walsh Park
📺 Watch The Sunday Game on @RTE2 and @RTEPlayer pic.twitter.com/yeneVojP4q— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) April 21, 2024
Same Old Problems for Cork
Jackie Tyrell meanwhile pointed to the fact that three of the forwards who started Cork's last All-Ireland final appearance in 2013 - Seamus Harnedy, Patrick Horgan and Conor Lehane - all started yesterday. They combined for 10 of Cork's 1-25 yesterday.
“Their backs are to the wall. They are in a bit of a predicament, as are Clare. That game is huge next weekend. It is almost like do or die, if you lose next week, you in a serious predicament,” he said.
“For Cork, where do they go? The thing I couldn’t understand is Alan Connolly was outstanding today, but I didn’t see him in the first half. They didn’t give him the ball, and for me, looking at Cork, it was looking at them four or five years ago. They had the same problems and issues at three: lack of aggression at times and poor defending. They had three forwards that started the 2013 All-Ireland final, but they are still looking for them to carry the can. All these young lads, where are they so? I don’t know there are serious questions for Pat Ryan to answer this week.”
