THE Saturday after the Sunday before. Forty or so souls sitting in the stand in Pairc Ui Rinn. Icy wind circulating among them. On the field, red jerseys are mixing it with white jerseys. Cork's under-21s are tussling with Cork's seniors.

The Dream Team, as they have been anointed, stand on the side-lines peering through the hurly burly of the game, seeking out the frailties of the postulants. Jimmy Barry Murphy, Tom Cashman and Tony O'Sullivan, hands in pockets. A cold afternoon, six days after Tipperary have beaten Cork handily in the league.

Kevin Egan's tidy striking catches the eye. Sean Og O hAilpin, the big athletic youngster who struggled against Tipperary at corner back, is in at full back today, getting dragged far from his post. Ger Cunningham that rock of ages, organises the defence in the young fella's absence. O hAilpin is called ashore in the second half. The young fella has more than enough hurlink done already.

After a winter when Cork's new administration had merely to field a team in order to feel the momentum and the excitement their mere presence had generated, things have slowed down. Cork were favourites for the All-Ireland in the month of January and through most of February. Then they played Tipperary on a cold day and learned a few lessons in how to compete. Home truths about Cork hurling are evident again. Barry Murphy expected those harsh truths to blossom in the early spring. Tipperary relished their visit to Pairc Ui Rinn.

"For the Tipp game we weren't physical enough, strong enough, eager enough, says Barry Murphy. "We were well beaten around the field and in the end the scoreline flattered us. We could have lost by 12 or 15 points. When Joe Deane got the goal towards the end I turned to the lads and said: "Thank God, at least it takes the bare look at it."

"Afterwards we didn't talk. The lads were very disappointed. It was a shock to us all. When you are cruising you think everything is grand. We beat Offaly, Waterford and Kerry. Then lost so badly at home. We reflected on it and talked on Tuesday. Talked about fitness, where we are going. We cut the panel to 21 players, arranged the game with the under-21s. We'll re-assess everything after Kilkenny."

The business of re-assessment is underway. Lots to ponder. The message of realism to be broadcast.

"I don't think it's fair to make us top contenders for an All-Ireland at this stage," says Barry Murphy. "People think we have a huge reservoir of talent here in Cork, but club hurling here has been poor for three or four years. Lots of exciting games, but players are struggling when they get to county level. We have a couple of 18-year-olds we are introducing now. We don't want to do that, but what's the alternative? Those lads might benefit from time on the sideline, but the pressure for results is always there."

For Barry Murphy, who for a quarter of a century has been wrapped in the affections of Cork people, this might be the job that truly tests the relationship. His hurling brain is whirring, the data being spun out suggests caution. Cork expects.

"I have been lucky down the years. People in Cork have always supported me in everything. Playing the hurling and the football, suppose, there was seldom a year when we weren't going well in some competition or other. All those years in the limelight I never really got any flak. I captained the hurlers to two losing All-Irelands in a row and never got it. I've never felt expectations like this before.

The world turns a little more slowly for Jimmy Barry these days. He was introduced to the St Finbarr's senior championship beam at 16 years of age, one afternoon in Bandon, in 1971. He played in the county final against Blackrock that year in front of 32,000 people and has seldom been out of the limelight since.

Looking back, he seems to have been born to it, though. The bloodlines are clogged with celebrated hurlers going back through the generations.

"Maybe it was inevitable. The father put a hurley in my hand out in the back garden one day. That started me off. The Barr's had a bit of a nursery back then, under-age leagues that were called the Lough parish leagues. I remember the finals on a Sunday morning: 2,000 people out for a kids' final. I meet fellas still like Billy Higgins, who looked after another team, and they say `I put a hurley in your hands boy'."

That path through boyhood no longer exists for a youngster in Cork. The numbers are there, but the skills aren't. They'll drop a couple of coats and play soccer, find a hoop and play basketball. Come the weekend, they'll play hurling. Perhaps.

"That's one of our problems. We have fellas on the senior team now and I couldn't teach them anything about hurling. Nobody could, but there aren't many of them. Players are fitter and they work harder, but they don't grow up with the same skills. I love first-time hurling, but finding players with the skill for it is the problem."

When he quit after the 1986 All-Ireland win, he quit completely. Made a clean break with the lifetime of playing. The mile age on Jimmy Barry's body clock must have been something to be hold. On top of the three-in-a-rov with the Cork hurlers in the mid 1970s, there was the football All-Ireland in 1973, and four All-Ireland club winning campaigns. And the All Stars tours.

The move to management came with the minor in St Finbarr's within 12 months of retirement. Until he accepted the Cork job, at the second time of asking last Autumn, all his work in management had been with minor players. Four titles with Finbarr's. An All-Ireland last September with Cork.

"I found it hard to talk to players at first. Just found it hard to stand in front of fellas and give them my ideas. As someone who has always claimed that hurling is a very simple game, not too much tactics or anything, it was hard to get up and get across certain things expected too much from lads at first. You have to hammer into people what you want. It's a very simple game. It's about touch, courage, and belief in yourself. I'm still learning about managing. To be honest, if we hadn't won the minor All Ireland last year I wouldn't have had the confidence to go on and manage the seniors." The approach to manage the seniors came the day after the All-Ireland minor final. Jimmy Barry didn't say yes, there and then, but in his gut he knew this was his time.

"The first night in Pairc Ui Rinn I was very nervous. Facing senior players is a challenge. Lots of lads that I'd know. I was only used to talking to minors. Suddenly there are all these hurling men that you know and they are waiting to hear your ideas. I was looking forward to it, though."

He is reticent about expressing ideas and theories, but when he is warmed up a passion flows out of him, something true and honest. which is his gilt to impart.

"My ideas on hurling are simple. I love first-time hurling. Do the basic things right. Right down to two hands on the hurley for picking it up. I saw players against Tipp trying to scoop the ball up one-handed, then losing it. I hate that. Stupid frees given away by defenders who play behind their man and come out late and give a push in the back to the forward. Inexcusable.

"Clare have increased the tempo for teams. We must work harder, must be more disciplined off the field. We haven't the players with the skills we had 20 years ago. We need more honest effort and self-discipline. I don't believe in lots of meetings. Quick and intense is the approach. People should leave training feeling they'd like to do more.

We decided that with the lads we couldn't do anything more than be up front and honest. That can be hard on lads who played with self, or Tom and Tony. It's a difficult situation. Just have to be honest and up front."

For Kilkenny tomorrow the message of realism has been driven home. Ten changes mark a mighty re-assessment. O hAilpin's learning process continues with an afternoon in the full back pit. Deane, used extensively at under-age and colleges level this year, is rested. Kevin Egan comes in a midfield. Teddy MeCarthy brings an old head and broad shoulder to pull forward.

Life in the real world is shaping up much as the Dream Team thought it might. Tipperary, two weeks ago, was a wake up call to men already up and about.