HE NEVER PLAYED minor for the county and his U21 career stretched to two championship appearances in 2010.
It wasn’t until 2012 that he made his senior championship bow and not until last summer that he nailed down a regular starting place in the team.
But Daniel Kearney, who will turn 25 in December, never wavered in his efforts to forge a Cork hurling career. His 5′ 9 frame has not impeded his development in becoming a vital cog in the Cork hurling machine. He tips his hat in the direction of one man for support.
“I definitely owe Jimmy (Barry-Murphy) for picking me the first time,” says Kearney. ”I don’t think too many managers would have had faith in me. I suppose I hadn’t really been given the opportunity to show off my skills.
“So I’m delighted that Jimmy took a chance on me and that builds your confidence then when you’re playing one game after the other.”
He used a few auditions to put himself in the shop window. A broken thumb meant he missed out on the concluding stages of UCC’s Fitzgibbon Cup win in 2012 but Kearney did enough at third-level to impress.
His club hurling also informed Barry-Murphy’s judgement. In 2008, Kearney’s first year out of the minor ranks, he won a Cork senior medal with Sarsfields as they bridged a 51-year gap. That kickstarted a run of glory that yielded further titles in 2010 and 2012.
“We were lucky enough to get to a lot of semi-finals and finals with Sars so that all gives you exposure to the high-pressure games. Thankfully Jimmy saw enough in them to think that I would be a good intercounty hurler.
“He went a bit against the grain with his thinking there because at the time a lot of players were big and physical and everybody was saying that that was the type of player you needed in midfield. Jimmy had his own ideas and thankfully I fitted into them.”
Kearney has rewarded that show of faith. He’s performed at a high consistency over the past two campaigns and this summer has dovetailed wonderfully with Aidan Walsh in the middle for Cork.
“We fulfil different roles. Aidan understands how I play and what I do and I understand how he plays. The way we set up, everybody has to buy in to the system that we play. If we have one player not obeying the system, it messes it up for everybody. It can really expose the team.”
Tipperary is the next challenge on Sunday. Kearney was part of a Cork U21 team pipped by the county in a Munster semi-final after extra-time in 2010. He watched that Tipperary team of stellar talents – Cahill, Maher (three of them), McGrath and Barry – go on to experience hurling riches.
“We were up three points and they got a goal and won the All Ireland,” recalls Kearney. “We definitely let that one slip. It was a big disappointment because we knew how close we were.
“We took a lot of confidence from that game too though, to know that we could compete with lads who’d just won the All Ireland. They had that ability to close out games and maybe some of our players just hadn’t learned that yet. We didn’t have that winning instinct to kill of games – that’s only developed over the last two years I’d say.”
Dave Kearney has no business in Japan.
@NPC4452347: of Furlong you said- “Kept the scrum firmly in Ireland’s favour and that sucked the life out of Welsh momentum”. It was after the penalty try and all the changes that the momentum completely swung the Welsh way-I appreciate that in such a game changes will be made, ordinarily nothing needed changing at that time.
@NPC4452347: Dave has no business on a rugby pitch
@Jane Aelst:
This is Rugby OK :: D K has 18 caps ans 61 Leinster caps :: that tells us you know nothing about Rugby !!!!!!!!
Porter surely was higher than a 5?? He was immense at the scrum, and he was playing loosehead. Also, Conway was not an 8. Didn’t see him in the second half..
@Fade: Did you lose your glasses?
@Coco86: Conway good first 50, then faded and got badly turned over which Wales scored from.
@Danger: Thought Conway made the right decision to turn back to where the support was, but the support was slow to the breakdown.
@Fade: you drunk champ?
@BrianBoru: Munster fans turning up for Conway, he had one good run. He was playing against a second string Wales team..
@Fade: so was Conan & he didn’t have one good run
@Fade: But Conway is a Leinster man? Watch the game again or even read the latest article here on winners and losers.
neither has toner
@Tim Magner:
Did you see POM out there and would not compare Comway with a backrow
@Martin Quinn: pom was excellent in the first half. Conan didn’t do much wrong today, he was solid enough. As you mentioned many times in many threads today, England last week was a far different test, one we’re more likely to come against v the top teams in the WC. The problem for Conan, as many told us the form back row in Ireland, superior carrier to stander, is that he didn’t show it today against a poor team. It was a big chance for him & for whatever reason he didn’t shine. You used his stats for this game and say they compare favourably to standers last week while at the same time any other player today who were up against some of your favourites from last week, you said England game was different. At least be consistent
@Fade: Conway was immense for 50 minutes then faded. I would still have him ahead of Larmour
Thought O’Mahony was good today again. I don’t get the Leinster lads Agenda against him?
@Jamie Bent: They can’t see past blue shirts. They’re better off tucking into their prawn sandwiches and keeping quiet.
@Dave Barry: on you go with your inter pro nonsense.
@Jamie Bent: aye.. also no doubting CJs lack of form but if he put In the performance today Conan did he would be hammered by the bluenosers
@Kevin: Only telling it like it is pal, O’Mahony got an awful lot of unwarranted flak last week from the usual crowd on here who haven’t a notion of how this game is played. And low and behold they were all Leinster supporters.
@PScald: Hello Pot? Kettle for you on Line 2!
@Dave Barry: please where was Conan today with a dominant scrum plus a 7 man scrum?? He is no better than stander.. well done Carty .. well done done Killer and we’ll done Conway
@Dave Barry: yum yum. How’s the turnip? Ye can’t see past blue shirts.
@PScald: another turnip can’t get past The Leinster
@Dave Barry: Ah Dave, last week you had a great post about people overreacting and posting nonsense and now here you are posting prawn sandwich drivel!
@James F Davis: Am I wrong? Fair enough the prawn sandwich thing is only to rile em up, but people are saying O’Mahony shouldn’t make the plane. Now we’re hearing the same about Ringrose, the negativity on here is infuriating.
@David: first comment wasn’t funny so you decided to have another dab, unfortunately for you second one was even less amusing. Nimwit.
@BrianBoru: Got a few bites though, including yourself. Good man.
@Dave Barry: What’s wrong with a prawn sandwich? Haha
@Dave Barry:
POM was poor last week and people criticised him as he hasn’t been in good form. People gave reasons why they thought he was poor and you responded with they don’t understand the game. You didn’t counter argue at all you just tried to be smug. Ulster and connacht fans criticised him but you pull the provincial crap straight away.
@Dave Barry: cop yourself on. O’Mahony, like the rest of the team last week, got flack from every proper fan of the game. I don’t consider any supporter, including you, to be a proper fan if they watch the national team and comment about club loyalties. I’m a Leinster supporter but when I commented on today’s game at half time every player I called out for praise was from one of the other provemces. And if you think that O’Mahony was not deserving of the criticism that came his way last week you know nothing about the game
@Jamie Bent: While he was good today, he wasn’t great. He was a staple of the Irish set up forever, and it ain’t provential but we need the old o’mahony back….we need the intensity, the brilliance, the sheer will and determination that lacks so many other players, he has it and proven that time and again, if we are to succeed at the world cup we need him back to that level of play again. We have goods now we need our greats he, has it in him we’ve all seen it, now more than ever we need it.
@Umpaloompa: I’m afraid you got that all wrong, I was asking people to to give reasons why they thought O’Mahony deserved to be dropped and not one person could come up with a reasonable argument as to why. Not being smug, just being rational.
@Dave Barry: he underperformed and was thoroughly overpowered and outplayed by the (admittedly brilliant) opposition back row. He’s also a central part of Ireland’s defensive and offensive lineout, which was destroyed by England. He slipped off some tackles, soaked the rest and got turned over in possession at least once. All of these points were raised by others a week ago but you either ignored them or didn’t read them. He was much better today, but clearly out if position and less effective than he could be. You’ve completely undermined any observations and analysis with that inter-pro/prawn sandwich BS. Back under your bridge, troll.
@Dave Barry: 100% agree I’l , watched rugby all my life stopped playing in college,,iv muted havlf these trolls even though rugby usually only place for s proper debate than united lads sniping pool vice versa and the article could be about mother Theresa , peter o mahony is Ireland best line out operator people will say toner , but since poc and doc gone it’s o Mahoney and toner offers zilch bar lineout maul, think he’s class act on and off the field and the vile abuse was bad ,, why didn’t people mention furlong getting swatted away like a fly , and Byrne trying to tackle tuailagi or one of the vup brothers was scary ,, saying that and in all honesty remember switching it on, and I actually thought to mysel 38 minutes in we are prob prob resting stander did not hear his name at all
@Umpaloompa: there are reasons and there are vile rolls as well that’s in every province ,, have most them muted can’t even have a friendly debate in soccer anymore on this site actually think half the people who post are children in those articles sniping at each other and an article could be abut a “plastic bag floating in the wind or the seagulls following the trawler ” love a good sports debate an intelligent one that knows the history of the sport , they prob google there replies ,,
@Dave Barry: troll
Bit harsh on Porter. Thought he did very well on the Loose Head side.
@Kevin: so did most people.
Just the ticket there today, some very big performances albeit against a weakened welsh side. Conway,aki and kilcoyne were exceptional out there and Addison, Beirne, Ryan, o mahony and Best were v good too. I think there’s a few decisions that will be made on the strength of that game
- Addison will have to be picked, possibly to the detriment of Jordan Larmour. I said previously that he wouldn’t make it but he’s so smooth back at 15. I still think schmidt will carry 4 centres and that would leave it as a shootout between Conway and larmour. Conway wins that all day long.
- Beirne travels instead of Kleyn
- killer wins against jack McGrath
- Marmion ahead of Luke McGrath
- Niall scannell ahead of herring
- backrow is incredibly tight. 3 way battle between Conan/ Ruddock and Murphy.
@Jim Demps: picking 2 out of the 3 will be tough but I think Murphy will go due to his versatility. That leaves one from Ruddock and Conan, conan didn’t do himself any favours today
@Jim Demps: Thought Beirne was quiet to be honest. He did the nuts and bolts and that was about it. But if it’s between him and Kleyn then Beirne goes for me.
@Kevin: a
@Jim Demps: agree about Addison – I thought he was really good today and I think between him and Conway, Lamour won’t make it now.
I think you are way off on Conan though. Conan has to be ahead of stander at this stage.
@Jim Demps: Conan did himself no favours and id put Beirne in that Bracket too. That said I think both should travel as they offer something different in their respective positions.
@Jim Demps: your love child TB was pretty anonymous today
@Jim Demps: Conan did ok, Beirne was pretty anonymous – Rudduck would have been far more abrasive at 6 and far more in that game
@Kevin: I agree, but if being measured as a back row he’s not ahead of Murphy or Ruddock
@BMJF: I’d agree. Both should be ahead of him for me.
@Jim Demps: I think you may be right on Jim. But as I have said plenty of times on here ; I like Jack Conan, good club player, solid n8, but it’s all he plays and is second fiddle to CJ Stander . All the Leinster crowd talk him up but he had only 1- pass, 7-carries, 8- meters gained( yes only 8) no defenders beaten, no off loads and made only 9- tackles, with 1- miss. Against a weak Wales squad….not good enough to get on the plane IMHO. But, JS will make the call….so we will see. JS could go with all locks, James Ryan, Toner, Hendo , And both Munster locks. Playing Hendo & TB at 6/8 against the two lower tier teams….
@BMJF: completely disagree. I saw a guy doing what a good 6 should do, making a nuisance of himself at every ruck and providing a threat.
It’s funny when he does go out and get three turnovers he’s called a showboat but when he puts in a good solid performance he’s called anonymous. That was a good performance from him today, go back and watch the game again if you need confirmation. 2nd highest tackler on the Irish team after Henderson and I counted 2 turnovers. Not a bad outing by anyone’s standard but there’ll always be Leinster lads who don’t want one of their ex players to have done well.
@BMJF: here’s my question.. Conan did ok against either a weak scrum or 7 man scrum? Wales played weakened team and Conan did nothing.. Ps Stander did nothing last week either.
@Fitz Mac: era I like conan, he’s a good 8 and he can cut loose against loose teams but I don’t think he’s the form back row in the country like lads have been telling us. His lack of versatility might go against him, especially when he didn’t set the world alight today and as you said, he’ll more than likely be a back up anyway.
I reckon he’ll still make it though, I can’t see Kleyn travelling. Toner can cover the sub tighthead role.
@Jim Demps: blinkers on there a bit re Beirne Jim. As I said earlier he did the basic duties fine but wasn’t didn’t do enough for me. In truth none of the back row today set the world alight.
@Jim Demps:
Conan and Beirne were similar both put in decent shifts. Bit red tinted if you think Beirne was good and Conan not. He made a couple of big tackles out wide to shut down Wales and was very busy in the right.
@Jim Demps: I often read your comments and agree right up until the end when you feel the need to mention Leinster and twist the knife. It’s unnecessary and demand a lot of otherwise good posts. I thought Beirne was good today. Not amazing, certainly not anonymous. But you just see red and blue so often it undermines your posts.
@JoeO: think you’re being a bit overly sensitive. Don’t think there’s anything I’ve said there that’s completely wrong.
@Umpaloompa: I don’t think conan was poor, more like he didn’t grasp his chance fully. Certainly didn’t do anything to put him ahead of stander.
@Jim Demps: best ?what the Christ Jim did best do ?
@Jim Demps: Conans’ chance today, you would think against a Wales B team he would have relished his chance to prove the chat room ball carrying and off-load praise, but really there wasn’t much, will probably still travel tho. Beirne gone, JS is looking for a reason to not bring him. Agreed on the rest.
@Jim Demps: no way he brings 4 centres if addison is travelling as he covers 13 also.
@Darren Mullins: 12 tackles off the bench and an excellent turnover on the line from a welsh maul
@Jim Demps: …think you have it just about spot on. Mind you ,I had Aki for 3 errors in first 11 mins, but I’m not in a position to rewind and recheck.
What is Dave Kearney doing in this squad. No Keith Earls to blame today again letting that try outside. Brutal stuff. Would have Belacoune, Kelleher, Byrne and Healy ahead of him.
9. Marmion – 7.5 – solid passing and kept momentum going
10. Carty – 8 – incredible at orchestrating the attack and rallying the backs but place kicking was average
11. Stockdale – 8 – phenomenal 2 tries , 70 meters in 40 minutes
12. Aki – 8 – physical in attack and defense 11 carries for 50 meters and 4 defenders beat
13. Farrell – 6 – solid in defense win 10 tackles none missed but wasn’t effective in attack with only 4 runs for 5 meters
14. Conway – 8 – great vision in the first half , 10 runs yielded 85 meters , beat 6 defenders and solid under high ball
15. Addison – 8 classy display despite HIA , 10 runs for 80 meters , 5 defenders beaten and solid under high ball
Thought that Dave Kilcoyne and Porter were both excellent at loosehead for Ireland today with Kilcoyne my man of the match. Henderson and Ryan also got through a huge amount of work in the second row with Ryan’s ability to get off the line and make big tackles really standing out.
Further out, Carty mixed his game up very nicely in attack, Aki was back to his best and Stockdale showed why he’s indispensable to the team. Addison looked good in flashes attacking from fullback as well and made two crucial try-saving tackles as the last man in defence.
@EK: was watching how he takes a few steps off the line and hits it at pace, risky but has great timing. Class player. Agreed with Carty too, the gamblers are good to watch!
Surreal analysis of Dave Kearney. He was on the pitch for 40 minutes and never touched the ball once while his one tackle was acknowledged as a mistake and responsible for conceding a try and yet the entire write up is sympathetic and defensive towards him.
Also Toner came on at the same time as Furlong and Best but seemed to have been spared from a rating for some reason?
@Rochelle:
Toners in poor form alright, think Hendo and Ryan and clear out in front as starters
@Umpaloompa:
Put this in the bank :: J R and Toner will be our Second row against Scotland it may hurt but they are the top two :::
Conan is phenomenal for Leinster and with their free flowing system he’s arguably their best forward but can’t turn it on for Ireland. He doesn’t have the work rate and physical required.
His 13th cap and like a lot of his other tests went missing for large portions. His carrying was infrequent and yielded no yardage or broke down players with only 6 runs gaining 5 meters with 3 from the base of the scrum . His poaching was no existent conceding 3 turnovers and giving away 1 penalty and constantly lumbering from ruck to ruck. Missed 3 tackles and only made 6 which is very poor for a backrow or any forward over 80 minutes.
His two best games in green where he played like he does for Leinster was France & Australia where Stander did the core forward work required and was rewarded with MOTM
@John Carey: I was disappointed with Conan today, given how much he’d been talked about during the last week or two. I didn’t seen anything different from him compared with stander today. I was also a bit disappointed not to see Beirne get more involved.
@B Collins: Stander was 30 odd games in green where he proved his worth. Over 4 years since his international debut and Conan hasn’t had one phenomenal game against a tier 1 nation without CJ to guide him.
@John Carey:
He just keep beating CJ when they go head to head
@John Carey: firstly do you honestly believe CJ has in the last year played anywhere close to his best?
Secondly you can answer this one to yourself if CJ was a Leinster player who you give him the same slack for a sluggish year?
Personally I think Bundee was MOTM with really strong preformances from kilcoyne carty and addison and personally believe they should all make the plane (heres hoping but time will tell) Ryan should probably be captain and seemed to be making the on field decisions scannell threw and scrumaged well and given current form would be my choice 2 at present.
@Stephen Fitzgerald: agreed.. he’s is or first choice center by quite a distance
@Stephen Fitzgerald: kilcoyne was the man of the match, Ryan is a real leader and he makes the difference by winning dominant tackles.
Aki can’t / won’t pass the ball before contact. He made plenty of breaks today but unlike the brilliant Conway he didn’t link up with a team mate. I know he can off load and he had a very good game today but ask chris Farrell how much good ball he get from his 12 today.
@Chris Mc: Too afraid to lose possession, at times he looked like he wanted to off-load only to go to ground. Really wanted to see farrell move to 12 with GR come in at 13, not to be. He has a delicious pass. Dunno if he goes now.
@Chris Mc: everyone knows you just want an all Leinster henshaw-ringrose midfield, and that Aki shouldn’t play because he isn’t playing for the ‘two big provinces’
@Joe Vlogs:
What age are you 10 or 12
7 is very generous for Conan. He was fairly pedestrian. Ireland’s backrow failed to slow welsh ball once O’Mahony went off. Beirne was disappointing in that regard too. Would like to see 6. CJ 7. Pom 8. Conan next week.
Ryan and Kilcoyne were different class today and seemed to set the tempo for linespeed. Conway starting to look a better shout than Larmour and maybe deserves a go 15 next week also.
Credit to the front rows for a much better set piece effort. Scannell putting pressure on Best. Porter deserves a better rating for his scrums.
Right now our best 15 looks like:
Healy
Scannell
Furlong
Hendo
Ryan
Stander
Pom (c)
Conan
Murray
Sexton
Stockdale
Bundee
Ringrose
Earls
Conway
If you don’t pick Best/Cronin, you don’t need Toner. Other 2nd rows are too dynamic to exclude
@Emmet Martin:
What great statement after last week’s display in the lineout ::when it suits you:: just forget a week ago:: Irish Second row Toner and J Ryan:: PMO had a bad week and was hoping he would show today ::did not see much maybe it was there and I missed it ::
@Martin Quinn: Whats with all the dots?
Think Beirne & Farrell were the big losers today with neither doing enough. Just didn’t go for Farrell today. If Henshaw is fit he will definitely go ahead of him. Beirne didn’t have any real impact. He might sneak a spot due to his versatility but it will be tight. He’s not impressed at international level as yet.
@Kevin: Is Henshaw nailled on? Been patchy and not played a huge ammount.
@thesaltyurchin: question is, is he fit. Injuries have really hampered him over the last 2 years. I wouldn’t say he’s definitely nailed on at all. But if fit he probably goes.
@thesaltyurchin: nailed on 100% if fit
Kilcoyne – 8 – great breaks that set up try , 7 runs , 35 meters , 6 defenders beat , great scrum & 10 tackles
2. Scannell – 6.5 – great set piece in scrum and lineout but low tackles & carry with 5 a piece
3. Ryan – 6.5 – similar to Scannell
4. Henderson – 7 – 14 tackles , 1 turnover won and 5 carries
5. Ryan – 5 – only 4 tackles & 2 carries
6. Beirne – 6 – oddly absent at breakdown , no carrying threat with 2 that yielded 0 meters but solid defense and made 10 tackles
7. O’Mahony – 4 – 4 tackles , 1 turnover won , 1 penalty conceded , 1 lineout lost , 4 runs for 5 meters
8. Conan – 4 – over 80 minutes only 6 tackles , missed 3 tackles , poor at breakdown , 6 runs for 5 meters conceded 3 turnovers and 1 penalty conceded
@John Carey:
Not sure where your getting the stats. Conan didn’t turnover possession 3 times don’t remember him turning over possession at all, he had 9 tackles, 1 missed which he recovered and made it straight away. He was good in the rucks. Not his best game but he was busy and worked hard, he had 7 carries for 8 meters, not great tbh
@John Carey: you could could have saved your self a lot of time by just saying munster good Leinster bad
@Umpaloompa: James Ryan was a beast today
@John Carey:
Of all the posters on here you are the most BIAS ::: This is the way he set out conan work ::it beggers belieft !!!
16. Best – 6 – solid scrum and lineout , won a turnover but conceded a penalty
17. Porter – 7 – incredible scrummaging
18. Furlong – 7 incredible scrummaging
19. Toner – 6.5 – solid lineout , 7 tackles , 3 carries
20. Murphy 6.5 – made 10 tackles in 20 minutes
21. McGrath – 6 – try saving tackle
22. Ringrose – 6.5 – made a vital tackle which resulted in winning the match
23. Kearney – 2 – 1 tackle no carries
@John Carey: so Furlong & Porter made a difference to the scrum and Best didn’t ?
@Peter Dickson:
“Of all the posters on here he is the most BIAS”
Scannell and co were going great guns until they bought the bench on. Learn to play the full 80 minutes! I am surprised Wales didn’t think to kick the ball out more just to put the squeeze on Best’s less than best line out throwing.
@Mick O’Shea: learn to play the full 80? Ffs!
@Mick O’Shea:
When Best came on and Toner came on ::: 4 Scrum Pen :: 1 Pen Try :: 2 great defences Mauls :: and got one of the Props sent off (yellow) because of the pressure they put on :: All Best trough’s were spot on and combined with his scrummages ::TOP rate !! Look at the game before you comment on the game !!!
@Martin Quinn: 5 attempts to get over the line against 7 men and the ref had to help them score? Then defending not scoring? Then cheating another man off the pitch?
We enjoy the game for different reasons. I distance myself from you and your thought processes.
There is one thing for sure, Ireland didn’t reveal much of their hand or scare any of our opponents.
We needed a win at all costs and just about got it.
Next week will tell us more about where our confidence and form is but at the minute Scotland will fancy their chances.
Some players are just not performing up to their ability
….watched it with a couple of Welsh lads in an English pub in Spain. We happily disagreed on much but did agree on one thing…..neither team good enough to win WC……and given a free bet we’d all back SA.
I know it’s a bold move but I’d leave Best out all together, and Toner would be close to being cut also if he wasn’t so important at lineout..
Best @ 37 looks like he would have been best retiring at the end of last year..
He’s done an amazing job for Ireland over the years and it would probably be harsh but I just don’t think when it gets to the quarters he’d be able to keep up with the pace, with most of the lads he’s playing against averaging 10years younger