By:
Conor Martin
Cork manager Ben O’Connor admitted there was a palpable sense of relief around Páirc Uí Chaoimh as the Rebels finally returned to big-game action, opening their Allianz Hurling League Division 1A campaign with an impressive win over Waterford.
Taking charge of his first competitive outing as Cork boss, O’Connor watched on as more than 20,000 supporters filled the SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh, eager for a fresh start after a difficult end to 2025.
Despite it only being a league game, the atmosphere was anything but low-key, reflecting the hunger on Leeside to move on and look forward.
The victory was particularly significant given the shadow still cast by last season’s All-Ireland final heartbreak, where a second-half collapse against Tipperary brought Cork’s campaign to a crushing halt.
That defeat ensured a long, searching winter for players and supporters alike, making Sunday’s performance feel like an important psychological reset.
Appointed to usher in a new era for Cork hurling, O’Connor was understandably pleased to get up and running, and even more so with a win on the board.
Waterford win is a promising sign for the Cork Ben O’Connor era
The result won’t define his reign, but it offered early encouragement, belief, and a welcome lift as the Rebels begin the next chapter under new leadership.
O’Connor was brought in to kickstart a new era for Cork after Pat Ryan resigned after last year’s All-Ireland final, against the backdrop of rumours that a dressing room bust-up caused their now infamous second-half meltdown and he couldn’t have asked for a better start than a winning debut.
Speaking to RTÉ Sport after the game, the Cork boss said: “Because of our first day out and new management, there was a lot of talk about us during the week.
“I’m just delighted to get it out of the way and get a good performance out of it as well.
“We were eight or nine points very fast, and no wide in that period in as well.
“We were hurling nice and sharp. And I suppose the field had a lot to do with that as well. The ball is hopping. The place is pristine. There was a big crowd in and we needed to do that.”
Cork ignoring outside noise and focusing on themselves
The Cork manager then referenced rumours of a row and how his players have shrugged that off, saying: “They’re a great group, and I suppose there has been a lot of pressure on them, like a lot of talk from outside and lies spoken about them and everything. Anything I can say about them is all positive anyway.
“They’re a great bunch of fellas; they’ll do everything that they’re asked, and I don’t think we’ve had any issues so far. Hopefully that’s the way to keep going for the rest of the year.”
Cork will now hope to build on Sunday’s win and play Galway and Tipperary next as they look to solidify their ambitions and retain their league title this year.
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