{"id":264104,"date":"2026-01-26T02:49:08","date_gmt":"2026-01-26T02:49:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/264104\/"},"modified":"2026-01-26T02:49:08","modified_gmt":"2026-01-26T02:49:08","slug":"result-and-performance-pleasing-for-ben-oconnor-as-cork-get-off-mark","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/264104\/","title":{"rendered":"Result and performance pleasing for Ben O’Connor as Cork get off mark"},"content":{"rendered":"

For a first outing in the league as Cork manager, Ben O\u2019Connor could scarcely have wished for things to go better.<\/p>\n

While he accepted that it was far from a Waterford championship 15 that his side had overcome, the Newtownshandrum man was pleased with how Cork approached the task and ensured they got on top from the off.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, I’m just happy to have it out the way, if I’m being honest,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n

\u201cA lot of talk about it during the week, just because it was our first day out, so I’m just delighted that we got a performance out of the boys. <\/p>\n

\u201cThe condition of the field made a difference, and the fine day was nice to see as well, so it just made it a bit easier.<\/p>\n

\u201cI suppose, look, Watford were under-strength, short their Ballygunner lads, but we can only beat what’s in front of us and I’m just delighted for some of the lads there now.\u201d<\/p>\n

Given that it was Cork\u2019s first \u2018proper\u2019 outing since the All-Ireland final loss to Tipperary \u2013 Munster hurling league games apart \u2013 there was a sense of blowing off steam.<\/p>\n

\"CorkCork manager Ben O’Connor, left, and Waterford manager Peter Queally shake hands after. Picture: Ben McShane\/Sportsfile<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, there was no nerves either, no nerves,\u201d O\u2019Connor said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI suppose we got eight or nine fast points, and I suppose it set the tone for the rest of the day. In that period, I don’t think we had any wide either, so the shooting was good.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe boys ran into position and played the ball around well, so it was a good start for the first day out.\u201d<\/p>\n

William Buckley was the only debutant in the starting 15 and he made the most of his opportunity as he scored 1-4. <\/p>\n

With ten of the All-Ireland starters chosen, there was an addition in each outfield line of the pitch \u2013 D\u00e1ire O\u2019Leary at full-back, Cormac O\u2019Brien at number 5, Tommy O\u2019Connell in midfield, Brian Roche at right half-forward and Buckley inside.<\/p>\n

Being able to assimilate them into a side with so many experienced heads was a luxury for the manager.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, very good performances,\u201d O\u2019Connor said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI suppose we were lucky enough we had nine or ten of the more experienced fellas and we were able to fire in a few younger fellas with them as well to help them out.<\/p>\n

\u201cNot that they needed any helping out out there today, but it’s nice to be able to do that and to put on five subs in the second half as well and give them all a bit of game-time.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"DeclanDeclan Dalton sets up the first goal at SuperValu P\u00e1irc U\u00ed Chaoimh. Picture: Ben McShane\/Sportsfile<\/p>\n

Buckley\u2019s tally of 1-4 was matched by Declan Dalton, his colleague in the full-forward line.<\/p>\n

\u201cDeccie’s played full-forward for Fr O’Neill\u2019s,\u201d O\u2019Connor said, \u201che’s played full-forward for Cork before, so it wasn’t any great thoughts on our behalf. Deccie can play anywhere \u2013 he could be in goal, he’s that good a hurler. <\/p>\n

\u201cHe’s got good touch, good movement, good head, so, today, we just saw him inside there and that’s where he went and he played well in fairness until he got injured.\u201d<\/p>\n

Thankfully, his injury, and those of the other players withdrawn, was not serious.<\/p>\n

\u201cNot too bad, a few dead legs,\u201d O\u2019Connor said.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo muscle tears or no breaks or anything like that. I’d say every fella we took off came off with a dead leg, so that’ll be down to the physios during the week, but I’d imagine that they’ll be all declared fit for next weekend again.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"For a first outing in the league as Cork manager, Ben O\u2019Connor could scarcely have wished for things…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":264105,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[1965,1964,61,60,112],"class_list":{"0":"post-264104","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-sports","8":"tag-hurling","9":"tag-cork-gaa","10":"tag-ie","11":"tag-ireland","12":"tag-sports"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/264104","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=264104"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/264104\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/264105"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=264104"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=264104"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=264104"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}