McCarthy admits he does not have backing of Cork hurlers

[Bud Wiser]

When the 'strike' started it was Tipp who said it was a disgraceful act and that they would prefer to win a Munster Final without it having been said they got a w/o from Cork. 

[slow corner back]

Cork have "allegedly" been in training since November while all other counties were banned. Basically if cork lose to Tipp and then lose to someone else or get hammered by the cats there is no way they can say they have made progress. If they win a munster title then fair dues they have progressed. The winter is past this is championship if they are good enough they will win if not they will lose. Roll on Sunday.

[dowling]

obviously at this point in time the focus is primarily on who will win but say, for talks sake, Cork were to take a hammering. Or if Cork just totally failed miserably in the whole championship. Who takes the blame? The manager? The county board for ratifying the manager? Or the strike leaders for effecting a change of manager?

Surely the late training thing is a red herring as the 2008 panel said they were training, and were backed up on this board, with the best trainers in the county.

[Bud Wiser]

If I was their manager now I would bar them from talking to the press.  There are a few of them who are even worse at talking than they are at hurling.  Even Gardiner has undermined our esteemed friend Reilers by saying that Cork supporters are split and some would like to see them loose (Reillers take on it being that all the clubs voted in favor of the players and everyone is happy, move on).

They have done enough damage to hurling and whether they win or loose it is time they either shut up and play the game or hand back the car keys.

[heffo]

Reillers take on it being that all the clubs voted in favor of the players and everyone is happy, move on

God I miss that little scamp.

[The GAA]

If I was their manager now I would bar them from talking to the press.  There are a few of them who are even worse at talking than they are at hurling.  Even Gardiner has undermined our esteemed friend Reilers by saying that Cork supporters are split and some would like to see them loose (Reillers take on it being that all the clubs voted in favor of the players and everyone is happy, move on).

They have done enough damage to hurling and whether they win or loose it is time they either shut up and play the game or hand back the car keys.

On the contrary, that's the perfect message ahead of the game. siege mentality.

[dowling]

Could well be the right way to go about this match GAA. I wonder as well though with the split in the county, as acknowledged by Gardiner, will it be in the back of their heads that failure will be blamed on them and if it will affect their game, or to be more precise some individuals. I wouldn't worry too much about Gardiner as he is very consistent, but maybe Sean og or Kenny.
I doubt Tipp will be underestimating Cork and could be using the same motivation as them, people want them to fail so they'll be trying harder.
What will also be interesting will be to see just how different Cork's play in this match is compared to how they played under Gerald McCarthy.

[orangeman]

Martin Breheny giving it a lash in the Indo yesterday about Offaly, Wexford and Cork. No chance of writing any books here.

[dowling]

Exciting enough match on Sunday and have to say I'm surprised Cork got within three points but it's not as if Cork as a hurling team are down and outs. Thought Tipp were able to up the tempo the last five or ten minutes when they needed to and maybe could have won easier even though Cork had the bigger wide count. I'm not one to criticise referees but Tipp seemed to have to work harder to get frees and got very little within the easier scoring regions. Of course while other counties might fold before the match is really over I would never expect that from any Cork team.
There did appear to be some strike anxiety in the opening half and the RTE guest made a strong mention of the strike and division on the Cork mentality. Gathered themselves better in the second half but Tipp did seem to take their foot off the pedal.

Anyway anyone want to point out any discernible differences about how the Cork team played this year compared to under Gerald? I didn't think there were any; Niall and Timmy McCarthy came off, par for the course there, more long balls than a running game. Discussion and debate over the manager's selections and substitutions as happens with any manager.

I'd be inclined to believe the players' 'reasons' for wanting rid of Gerald can now be seen to be hollow and it was just a preference of
manager to the strikers.

[Zulu]

I'd be inclined to believe the players' 'reasons' for wanting rid of Gerald can now be seen to be hollow and it was just a preference of
manager to the strikers.

Ah Jesus will you give it over, if Cork get hammered you'll say that it looks like their failures over the past 2 years weren't Geralds fault but the fact that they are over the hill players. When these so called over the hill players lead a second half fight back against a team most people regard as Kilkenny's greatest threat, you say there is no discernable difference in style of play, they had 'strike anxiety' in the first half  , Tipp had to work harder for frees etc. Your capacity to bring everything back to the strike is quite amazing and a bit worrying, they wanted rid of Gerald because they didn't rate him, nobody has argued anything else so how is it hollow?

By the way if Denis has a strong philosophy on how the game should be played it won't come to light until next season at the earliest. It wouldn't go astray if you came on here and acknowledged the courage and character of the Cork players who put in a very impressive 2nd half performance having had limited time to prepare. The Cork bandwagon won't be long getting off the ground now so soon enough you'll be the only man in Ireland still going on about the stike. You wouldn't be the best man to be stuck beside on a long bus journey I'd say.

[dowling]

Zulu you and others need to take your heads out of the sand. Unfortunately I couldn't get to the game but watched it on RTE. The first area of discussion between the presenter and panel was the strike and the consequences of it in general and in particular to that match. john Gardiner alluded to the same thing and there was an article thrown up on this board by a journalist with his own take on it. Everything that happens with the Cork hurling team this year is relative to the strike, even if the team isn't fit it's relative to the strike even though the strikers and posters on this board gave out the impression they were training away.

[Zulu]

Everything that happens with the Cork hurling team this year is relative to the strike,

Only to you dowling, only to you.

Zulu you and others need to take your heads out of the sand.

I'm afraid it is you who needs to take your head out of the sand. The strike is over and the championship is on, Cork have played and played pretty well, which unfortunately you aren't gracious enough to acknowledge. Your paranoia has extended so far that you are even blaming Cork's first half performance on 'stike anxiety', Jesus only someone with a serious issue would try and pull that. The only reason the panel discussed the strike was because it was Corks first championship appearance on TV since the strike ended so of course they referenced it. And of course the strike, the time lost etc. will have some bearing on their championship but your need to post what we all know is worrying. All the main protagonists in the stike played fairly well and the posters who suggested that they wanted Gerald out because he might drop them got their answer last Sunday. They put in a very good performance last Sunday and will be a match for anyone outside of Kilkenny, and IMO would give Kilkenny a better game than most. I'd nearly like to see them win the AI just to see you twist it into some kind of negative as a result of the strike.

It's time for you to let go dowling, your obsession isn't healthy and although I've asked you to engage in the many GAA related topics on this board you steadfastly refuse to discuss anything but a strike that ended 3 months ago.

[theskull1]

The strike will live long in many peoples memories Zulu

[Zulu]

That's fine skull1 but not everything that happens in Cork GAA from here on in is related to it, Cork hurlers will play games very soon without any connection to the strike. And most people will get on with their involvement in the GAA without ever thinking about the strike again, anyway it wasn't all that important, sport isn't particularly important in the greater scheme of things and Cork hurling is a very small fish in a very big sporting pond.

[theskull1]

The main protaganists will always be associated with the strike in the minds of many people. That is a fact that you may not like but it is still the case. Yes we all get on with our own bit I can tell you is never too far away in my own mind especially when they play