GAELIC GAMES/Hurling Quarter-finals: The most settled team in the country remains settled for Sunday's All-Ireland hurling quarter-finals at Croke Park, with Cork manager John Allen again naming an unchanged line-up for the meeting with old Munster rivals Waterford. Ian O'Riordan reports
Brian Corcoran was last night passed fit to take his place at full forward having recovered from the shoulder injury that forced his early retirement in the Munster final win over Tipperary.
Wayne Sherlock was in line for a return to the starting line-up, but suffered another injury in a club match with Blackrock earlier this month, straining a hamstring, and once again misses the chance to regain his place.
Allen was always likely to go with the same team considering their relatively easy passage past Tipperary, and especially after their first-half performance.
Pat Mulcahy holds on to the right corner back position in Sherlock's absence - and otherwise it's the same team that collected the All-Ireland title last September. Neil Ronan showed excellent form following Corcoran's withdrawal the last day, but once again must be content with a place on the bench.
Wing back John Gardiner yesterday summed up the reasoning behind Cork's persistence with the tried and trusted formula - saying you don't go fixing what's not broken.
"We believe in the way we play, and we'll stick with it," he said. "It seems to be working more times than not. It's only injuries really that have ruled players out. It's a bonus to know who's going to be playing around you, but it also means other teams know what to expect. From our point of view though it's an advantage. So we're happy with our style of play, and if it comes off we look fantastic.
"We played very well against Tipperary, but I don't think it's the best we can play. There is some more in the tank, but we were very pleased with our first half performance against Tipp.We just weren't so pleased with the second half. We've worked on that at training and we're hoping now we can get it right for the 70 minutes."
Gardener is one of the few Cork players to be tried in a different position, briefly serving his time at midfield. But now he's more than happy to be playing alongside Ronan Curran and Seán Óg Ó hAilpín in the half back line. Together, they're proving the most successful combination in the game.
"I grew up playing in the back line. That was always my main position. Donal O'Grady brought me out to midfield, and I threw over a few scores and settled in okay. But other than that I didn't take to the position too well. Tom Kenny is more suited to midfield, and I'm more suited to wing back.
"We swapped around again, and it's been that way ever since. I'm delighted to make the team of course, but especially in the position I want. We've the hurler of the year at left half back, and a two-time All Star at centre back. That's a good basis.
"But I still think we get most of the praise because we see most of the ball. Most of the puck-outs come down on top of us, so I don't think it's a big deal that we're playing that well."
The only thing Gardiner is not so sure about is the nature of the qualifier draw, which has sent Cork out against Waterford just two months after their meeting in the Munster championship.
"It's a bit disappointing, even for the supporters. I think it was very feasible this year, to mix up the draw a little bit. But the best eight teams in the country are left, and that's the way it should be.
"They've played four games now, and that's an advantage. You can't beat games, because it does bring you on, and reveals the most about the players. The only advantage we have is that we'll be fresher."
Meanwhile, Armagh have delayed until tomorrow the naming of their team for Saturday's Ulster football final replay against Tyrone.
CORK (SH v Waterford): D Óg Cusack; P Mulcahy, D O'Sullivan, B Murphy; J Gardiner, R Curran, S Óg Ó hAilpin; T Kenny, J O'Connor; B O'Connor, N McCarthy, T McCarthy; K Murphy, B Corcoran, J Deane.
