CORK MANAGER DENIS Ring was effusive in his praise of his young stars following last night’s Electric Ireland Munster minor hurling semi-final victory over Tipperary at Páirc Uí Rinn.
An attendance of 8,142 was present at the city venue for the second instalment against the Premier County, although that figure was more likely to have been 10,000 when you consider that U-16s gained free admission.
Cork edged through by three points, as Daire Connery and Brian Turnbull took their combined tally over the course of two epic encounters to 0-30.
Connery was exceptional at midfield, landing two frees, three points from play and a delicious sideline cut in the first half.
Up front, Turnbull looks like Alan Cadogan mark II, displaying many of the traits associated with his Douglas team-mate.
Turnbull collected 0-8, including four points from play, while Craig Hanafin (1-4), captain Sean O’Leary Hayes, Robert Downey and Conor O’Callaghan were other stand-out stars for the young Rebels.
Ger Millerick was excellent too in a man-marking role on Paddy Cadell, Tipperary’s captain who was so influential in the drawn match last Thursday night in Thurles.
But Ring described Connery’s performance as “immense”, adding that the Na Piarsaigh starlet “plays with great maturity.”
Ring said: “He’s very, very calm and measured in his approach.
“His distribution of the ball is outstanding and his discipline is important.
“He has a great hand and you know that when he goes up for the ball, he’s going to come down with it.
“He showed great composure, landed good frees as well tonight and it’s fantastic, these guys are in a different league.
I can tell you that from being involved through the years with winning Cork teams, as well as losing Cork teams. These lads are different league.”
Cork will tackle Clare in next Sunday’s minor decider – with the seniors up against the Banner County in a Semple Stadium double-bill – and preparations began in earnest last night.
As the Cork minors face into a third fixture in 11 days, Ring brought his players to the Rochestown Park hotel for a recovery pool session, and they met this morning at the Mardyke with members of the high-performance unit there.
Ring said: “We’ve a long break relative to the last game! That’s one side of it.
“Look, we’ve won nothing we’re in a final, that’s where we want to be but it’s all about winning now.
One thing it does, it means for the first time in a long time, we’re hurling into late July or early August, which is where we want to be.
“Everything is about the next game. You’re only as good as your next game, you’re not as good as your last one.”
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