Shane Kingston’s focus is all on Clare in the Munster SHC opener
THERE are many reasons why Cork hurling fans are excited right now, but Pat Ryan and his team have only one focus: their trip to Ennis on April 20th for the Munster SHC opener.
Winning a first league title since 1998 is a timely boost for the Rebels ahead of the championship, but Shane Kingston, speaking at the launch of the ‘eir for all’ Poc Tapa Challenge, and the rest of his Cork teammates were back to business almost instantly.
‘It was nice to get a bit of silverware the other day. It’s been a while. It’s such a quick turnaround to championship that you’re trying to embrace it as much as you can at the time and forget about it and move on,’ the Douglas man told the Star Sport Podcast.
‘We know there is a lot of outside noise. We are staying focused internally, keeping that circle tight, keeping the outside noise out. There are a lot of people talking, a lot of people jumping on the bandwagon but it’s kind of irrelevant to us, leave them at it. We’ll stay focused on ourselves, train hard over the next couple of weeks and maximise the time we have together.’
Cork captain Robert Downey lifts the trophy after Cork's victory over Tipperary.
Páirc Uí Chaoimh was packed to the rafters for their league final win over Tipperary last weekend. In all four of Cork’s upcoming Munster SHC games, there are no tickets available on the ticketmaster website while, in comparison, there are still tickets available for Tipperary v Limerick on April 20th.
‘It’s obviously great to have so many fans there. The noise and everything is just brilliant. Even after the game, the way the fans swarmed the pitch (after the Tipp game). We have amazing support, which is brilliant. In the tight-knit games when you have the 16th man roaring you on, it is that extra element that can try and drive you on a bit as well,’ Kingston explained.
‘Having that fanbase is exceptional. It also brings about people plaguing you for tickets as well! That’s another issue,’ he laughs.
‘I think we witnessed it last year as well against Limerick in the Páirc Uí Chaoimh game. The players and everyone amongst the group appreciates it. We just have to keep going now, do it for them, the group and our families.’
Putting the emotion and the hype aside, the Rebels have a huge clash away to All-Ireland champions Clare on Sunday week. Cork may have hit the Banner for six goals in their last meeting (6-20 to 0-23) but this Munster opener is a completely different ball game.
‘There is a massive difference between league and championship. We don’t have a good record going up to Ennis in the last number of years. Obviously, there was the victory there a couple of weeks ago but it was a league game,’ Kingston said.
‘We haven’t beaten Clare in the championship since 2021. It’s a pretty bad record so we know there is a massive task ahead next week up in Ennis. We’re just going to put ourselves in the best position over the next five or six sessions going into that game.’
With competition from maybe the Ulster football championship, the Munster hurling series is the most cut-throat provincial championship in the inter-county Gaelic games season. Any of the five teams – Clare, Cork, Limerick, Tipperary or Waterford – all have a realistic chance of getting in the top three and getting themselves an All-Ireland berth. Every game is a difficult one. That’s what makes it so special for Kingston and the whole Cork team.
‘The competitiveness between the five teams is mad. A lot of times, it’s just a puck of a ball. Over the last number of years, you may need that bit of luck to get out of Munster and then things can kind of take off from there. The focus for us this week and next week is just looking at the Clare game and then focus on the Tipp game. I haven’t looked at the home and away games, I’ve just looked at it as the next game up,’ he added.
-
Eir, Ireland’s leading telecommunications provider, is calling on GAA clubs across the country to take part in the ‘eir for all’ Poc Tapa Challenge to be in with a chance to win up to €5,000 for their club and play on the hallowed turf of Croke Park on All Ireland semi-final day. For further information on how to enter follow @eir.ireland or visit eir.ie.
eir, Ireland’s leading telecommunications provider, is calling on GAA clubs across the country to take part in the ‘eir for all’ Poc Tapa Challenge to be in with a chance to win up to €5,000 for their club and play on the hallowed turf of Croke Park on All Ireland Semi-Final Day. For further information on how to enter follow @eir.ireland or visit eir.ie.
