Cork Hurling a No-Brainer? Far From It!
Talking Balls
Following their defeat down at the Pairc at the hands of traditional enemies Tipperary, their first loss to Tipp on home soil in eighty five years, there is much scratching of heads and wracking of brains down in the Rebel County. Despite that, the temporary blip to Tipp isn’t expected to cause too much trauma as folks down there still expect to be in the mix come September. Even though they would have to play five games to win the All Ireland.
Meanwhile, as the CCCC hands out fines to the Cork County Board for contravention of Match Regulations six and seven, what it is about Cork and the Cork hurlers that attracts admiration and antagonism in equal parts. Donal Óg Cusack still wants to use his own unapproved balls - we thought he’d got over that petulance when the strike ended. That infraction will cost the Co Board €1300 in total. Maybe Donal Óg does it on purpose just to annoy them.
Is it the arrogance of winning so many Munster and All Ireland titles? Is it the fact that they come from the self-declared People’s Republic of Cork - the navel of creation? It’s true to say that if Jesus had been born in Cork there would have been no shortage of self proclaimed wise men to tell him he was indeed the Saviour by birth, but Cork by the Grace of God.
For the rest of us mortals, we have to look on, watch, listen and put up with them. More to be pity than admired but sure they don’t care - after all they’re from Cork!