Championship is what matters for Cork

GAELIC GAMES/Hurling Interview with Cork manager John Allen: As the new Cork hurling manager John Allen could be led to believe, the only way he can take his team is down. Winning the All-Ireland remains the pinnacle of every season, and unless Cork retain that title next September his first year in charge will ultimately fall short of expectations.

It's a harsh assessment and yet Allen fully agrees with it. At yesterday's launch of the Allianz League, the former selector under previous manager Donal O'Grady is clearly thinking well beyond Sunday's opening match against Limerick, which has been fixed for Páirc Uí Chaoimh.

"Like any team that's become All-Ireland champions, anything less this year will be seen as failure," he says. "But I've a very strong backroom team, and that has made the transition very easy. Exactly what I can get out of the players, and how well we can play, remains to be seen. But for me, personally, winning the All-Ireland is my goal for the year. That's all we're setting out to do."

While Allen is hoping Cork can pick up where they left off last September, it's obvious his main concern is playing well come the summer. "Of course there's an expectancy on us after the way we played in the second half of the All-Ireland final, but I'd like to keep that bubble alive until May 22nd and the championship match against Waterford. That's the first biggest match of the season."

Allen admits the task of taking over from O'Grady has been made easier because of the men in place around him. Two further selectors, Patsy Morrissey and Fred Sheehy, also remain from last year, and he's added Joe O'Leary from county champions Na Piarsaigh and Ger Cunningham of St Finbarr's.

"The management team that was there has basically stayed put. Seánie O'Leary stepped down for health reasons. But the whole situation was definitely easier than two years ago when Donal O'Grady came in. That was just after the strike, and back then we were taking on the unknown.

"But it was an honour to be asked. I suppose I was in the right place at the right time, or maybe the wrong place at the wrong time. I had to consider it, but I was never going to say no. Growing up with hurling and living in Cork and then being offered the top job, well, you know, that mightn't come along again. So it was easy to say yes."

Cork last won the league in 1998, and yet Allen is not overly pressed on ending the unsuccessful run of the last six years: "Look at Galway. They won the league, but got no All Star, and Conor Hayes was lucky to keep his job.

"I think the second phase of the league is vital, and I'd love to win the thing, but finding new players and blooding them for the championship is still the most important.

"We didn't like losing the Munster championship last year. But it's never really been a point of discussion once we went on and won the All-Ireland. Now it doesn't make a difference if you win or lose in Munster because you're still only into a quarter-final."

Allen is resigned to starting the opening league games without the services of defender Wayne Sherlock, who remains troubled by a groin injury. Mickey O'Connell is the only high-profile retirement from last season, while former panel member Neil Ronan has returned after a brief period in Australia.

Meanwhile, Limerick have selected regular defender Mark Foley at full forward for Sunday's match against Cork. In a mainly experimental team Mark Keane makes his return after a two-year absence at left corner forward with TJ Ryan named at centre back.

Tipperary have named five newcomers for Sunday's Hurling League tie against Down in Thurles. Into the team come goalkeeper Damien Young of Drom-Inch, midfielder Tadhg Slevin (Borrisokane) and forwards Donal Shelly (Ballingarry) and the Loughmore duo Michael Webster and Evan Sweeney.

TIPPERARY (SH v Down): D Young; P Ormonde, P Maher, P Curran; D Fanning, D Kennedy, E Corcoran; C Morrissey, T Slevin; D Shelly, M Webster, M O'Leary; S Butler, E Kelly, E Sweeney. Subs: H Moloney, T King, M Maher, R Flannery, E Hanley, P Kelly, F Devaney, J O'Brien.

LIMERICK (SH v Cork): J Cahill; D Reale, B Geary, M Cahill; O Moran, TJ Ryan, P Lawlor; D O'Grady, P Tobin; D Ryan, P Cahill, N Moran; A O'Shaughnessy, M Foley, M Keane.