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 10 September 2004 Irish Independent | |||
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CORK selector John Allen believes pace could be the key to Sunday's All-Ireland hurling final.
Allen, a substitute in 1978 when Cork completed the last three-in-a-row of All-Ireland hurling titles, believes the injection of pace in certain areas makes the Rebels a better product than the '03 vintage.
As Cork manager Donal O'Grady sidesteps comparisons between the teams Allen is confident enough to admit that he personally sees an improvement in the team from 12 months and again since the Munster final in June.
"Maybe we had it easy against Antrim and Wexford or maybe we made it easy for ourselves.
"I thought we did what we had to do in both games and if we play like that again on Sunday we're in with a great chance," he admitted.
"Pace is a real advantage in Croke Park and I have to say we have enjoyed playing there in the last two games.
"But Kilkenny enjoy playing there too. The perception out there is that they are a big physical team but they have pace everywhere themselves. JJ Delaney, DJ and Eddie Brennan are as fast as they come," added Allen.
A little bit of tweaking and the rejuvenation of a couple of players has Allen thinking that they are playing to a different pitch 12 months on.
"Personally I feel we are better than last year and I think in players like Tom Kenny and Jerry O'Connor there is a far greater confidence about their game. They have worked well together at midfield, they run hard, they're fast and they're not afraid to get forward and score. The goal we saw from Tom against Wexford we might not have seen from him last year."
The pairing of Kenny and O'Connor at midfield has been one of the successes of Cork this summer and Allen attributes O'Connor's resurgence to Newtownshandrum's All-Ireland club victory.
"No doubt that victory gave him great confidence as it did with Ben too. Jerry wouldn't have played as well last year when he came on as a substitute but I think there's real maturity about his game now."
Allen came on as a substitute for Tom Cashman in the 1978 All-Ireland final against Kilkenny when Brian Cody was full-forward.
His relationship with current Cork manager O'Grady flourished at St Finbarr's where they played together and his inter-county selection qualities passed the test when he was involved with Cork's 1998 All-Ireland minor winning team.
Again the vanquished county was Kilkenny, pointing to a good record against the Noresiders for the Togher-based school teacher.
"It was a little bit blemished last year," he laughed. "But from the moment we lost that game there was a determination on everyone's part to make it back to this stage again and we've done that now."
And Allen is rich in his praise of O'Grady who stepped into the breach after the acrimonious strike action in late 2002.
"He's a disciplined man, a great organiser and I think we've all learned from him over the last two years. He deserves great credit for helping to put Cork back to where we are over the last two years."
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