Darragh Fitzgibbon intrigued by what Cian O'Neill can bring to Cork hurlers

Darragh Fitzgibbon intrigued by what Cian O'Neill can bring to Cork hurlers “Just very disappointing” is Darragh Fitzgibbon’s summation of the Cork hurlers’ latest Croke Park failure. For the second consecutive July, Cork’s Liam MacCarthy ambitions imploded by second-half collapse. After the 3-14 to 0-2 nightmare of the 2025 final second-half against Tipperary, this year’s return visit to GAA HQ followed a similarly destructive pattern.

Holding a 1-13 to 1-12 half-time lead over Galway in the All-Ireland semi-final, Ben O’Connor’s side haemorrhaged nine points without reply during a game-transforming third quarter to find themselves 1-22 to 1-14 adrift. In the opening 17 minutes and 40 seconds after half-time, Cork managed three shots.