Clare are the new Cork, says Landers
June 21, 2013
Flashback to 1999 as Cork manager Jimmy Barry Murphy and team captain Mark Landers pose with the Liam McCarthy Cup
Traditionally, the Rebels would normally be expected to see off the Banner County but - ahead of Sunday's Munster SHC semi-final at the Gaelic Grounds - Landers points out that it's Davy Fitzgerald's men who have the groundwork done at underage level:
"Clare are the coming team," the former Rebel County midfielder accepts in The Irish Sun. "They've won two All-Ireland U21 titles, been to minor semi-finals and narrowly beaten, and they probably have the hottest young fella in the country in Tony Kelly.
"Davy Fitzgerald is an astute manager, he has a fair grasp of the level of intercounty teams out there and a lot of background work done on individual players.
"Clare are reminiscent of the Cork team of the late 1990s - that had a big bearing on the relegation play-off. They were in a better position because so many of their young players had experience of winning U21 titles.
"Relegation is a huge blow to Cork, particularly in light of the fact they were in the Division 1A final in 2012. Division 1B is not a place Cork want to be in terms of their progression.
"We're going to have to deal with it, get back to the top division as fast as possible and try to bring this young team to an All-Ireland title.
"The expectation is Cork should be in Division 1A, but that's only because of history. We're not winning All-Irelands at minor and U21, that's probably reflected in the fact that we are now in Division 1B. There are a number of good teams in Division 1B but they're not of the same quality as Division 1A.
"In Division 1A, every game is very important, you're trying to pick your best team every day, which doesn't give you a chance to blood fellas. If the young fellas are winning minor and U21 All-Irelands, they're cutting their teeth along the way.
"You can't just parachute a fella straight into senior. Being a county minor or U21 and getting only one or two games a year, that's not cutting your teeth in preparation for senior." Tweet
