These are confusing times for the dual player – some managers telling them no way can they expect to play both codes at the highest level, others telling them no harm in trying.
Against that backdrop Eoin Cadogan is telling us why he intends playing both football and hurling with Cork this year – having opted out of hurling last year – and it essentially comes down to having no regrets.
“I sat down with both managements prior to Christmas, and we had a very open conversation, a very positive conversation,” says Cadogan. “The hurlers are away on their holiday at the moment, so I have been given a bit of time to think about it.
“As you can imagine, it’s a pretty hectic schedule. Looking at the month of March, it’s five or six weeks in a row, which is pretty demanding. In saying that I’m gone back to college now, which is a bit of a help, in that you probably get a bit more down time for recovery on Monday mornings after a game.
“And I know Aidan Walsh has committed as well (to both codes). I know it is a big ask at this stage but I was listening to Roy Keane on the Vieira documentary recently, when he talked about regrets, back with the World Cup, that kind of hit a nerve with me. We are all going to be long enough sitting in the stands wishing we could be out there, so.”
More harm than good
In hindsight, Cadogan also realises his decision to concentrate solely on football last year did more harm than good: "At the start of last season, I probably felt that I had a better footballing year in 2012 and maybe I am better off concentrating on one. It was probably Conor Counihan's last year as well and he had been good to me. The year was a complete disaster, in hindsight.
“Everyone had been harping on at me about the dual thing and picking up injuries, and it was smooth running apart from a few knocks and bruises and a bit of tiredness.
“Then the one year you pick one you get an Achilles injury, then an injury on my shoulder, and then I rolled my ankle against Kerry below in Killarney. It was an extremely poor year, my performances were nowhere near they should have been. I realised that myself and hopefully I can correct some of those things this year.”
Back in the mix
So Cadogan sees no harm in trying to play both codes – and truth is both managements won't mind having his services: Jimmy Barry-Murphy will be glad to have him back in the mix after Cadogan opted out of hurling for 2013, and likewise new football manager Brian Cuthbert, who takes charge with six of Cork's 2010 All-Ireland football winners having now retired, while Ciarán Sheehan has opted for the AFL.
“Everyone realises the amount of guys we lost over the winter months and they are huge losses, there is no point saying otherwise. But you have to move on at some stage, and it is time for the new guys to put their hands up. A lot of people will use the word ‘transition’ when they speak about the Cork footballers this year.
“As a player I certainly don’t go out to see how we go in games or think of transition, we go into games to win. I would hope and expect that the guys who do come in have the same mentality and we don’t go out just to try to get at teams. Whether we are miles off the mark or up there in the top four or six only time will tell.”
Cork didn’t look too far off the mark with their 3-22 to 0-7 win over LIT in Sunday’s quarter-final of the McGrath Cup, and face UL next Sunday, the team that put 5-18 up against UCC.
Meanwhile, former Tipperary All-Ireland winner Brendan Cummins has been named new goalkeeping coach for the Kerry senior hurling team, having accepted an invitation to link up with new Kerry manager Eamon Kelly.
