Ballinhassig Star Panel unsure of Cork's Chances

JJ Hurley

 A Star panel at a Munster and All-Ireland prediction night at the Marian Hall, Ballinhassig, on Saturday night, suggested a cloud now hangs over Cork’s All-Ireland Senior Hurling ambitions.

Organised by the players in the South County club to raise funds to equip a gym for the soon to open new changing facilities, the evening attracted a star-studded panel, including Anthony Daly, Shane McGrath, Mark Landers, Seanie McCarthy and TJ Ryan, under the baton of Jacqui Hurley.

A packed hall had been entertained with a series of anecdotes and tales on and off the pitch in the early part of the evening, before attentions were turned to the serious business of the night.

For Clare’s Anthony Daly, ‘Whatever happened to Cork in that 13 minutes might be the best thing that ever-happened to the lee-siders, if Cork can get a win tomorrow and keep the hype down, it might just be their year,’ he said.

‘I still think Limerick are the best equipped to win the All-Ireland.

‘You think of Shane O’Brien, Adam English, you think of these guys later on. Guinane is struggling for form, Séamus Flanagan has no form, but if they get better.’

He wasn’t writing off his own county, with Shane O’Donnell set to return to the county colours in the coming weeks, the question posed by the panel had Cork played poorly in the second half or had Clare upped the anti.

‘I will still go with Limerick.’

For Cork’s Mark Landers, Kilkenny were the dark horses.

‘They could end up in an All-Ireland final handy enough,’ he said.

‘It reminds me of 20 years ago, everybody flaking the life out of each other in Munster and teams won’t come out of Munster full of energy and Kilkenny will be in an All-Ireland semi-final, without breaking a sweat.

‘They have no pressure on them whatsoever, all the spotlight is on Munster, they are dangerous in my opinion.’

Reflecting on his own county and their All-Ireland hopes, Landers had a question mark.

‘There might be some doubts, I think next Monday or Tuesday, we will be able to answer exactly where Cork are,’ he said.

‘The gauntlet is definitely thrown down to Cork now, because of the collapse last weekend,’

For Limerick’s TJ Ryan the quandary is have Limerick got it in their locker to lift the Liam McCarthy.

‘The question for Limerick, is it really there,’ he said

 ‘For Limerick the number six position is an issue, Declan Hannon is back training and get him back for certain games,’ he said.

‘I will keep the faith that Limerick will reach a Munster final, but I would be very fearful if Cork get it right for a 70-minute performance, I don’t think anyone will live with them.’

In saying that, he still backed the Shannon-sides to collect the McCarthy Cup in July.

For Ballinhassig’s All-Ireland winner in 1990, Sean McCarthy, the All-Ireland Final looked very much a Cork and Limerick affair,

In a further discussion on the greatest hurler of the era, Tipperary’s Shane McGrath chose TJ Reid, while the names of Brian Corcoran, Brian Whelan and Ciaran Carey were also included by the members of the panel.

Jacqui Hurley keeping a close eye on Mark Landers, TJ Ryan, Shane McGrath and Seanie McCarthy at Ballinhassig GAA's Munster and All-Ireland prediction night in the Marian Hall, Ballinhassig, on Saturday night

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