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battling the elements

Dealing with atmospheric pressure of Croke Park crucial to downing Dubs - O'Neill

The Cork defender knows the value of adapting the normal approach for a big game at HQ.

CORK CORNER BACK Shane O’Neill believes dealing with the intense atmosphere in Croke Park will be crucial to their chances in the All Ireland semi-final this Sunday.

The Rebel hurlers face Dublin at headquarters this weekend in a clash of both sides responsible for Kilkenny’s early exit from the Championship.

And, having sampled the unique conditions on Jones’ Road, the Bishopstown stalwart knows the importance adapting certain elements for the big occasion.

“You would hope playing Dublin in the league and also last year’s semi-final will stand to us in terms of getting used to the surroundings; the dressing room, size of the pitch, the noise levels, that sort of stuff, ” O’Neill says in an interview with RedFM.

“It’s hard to hear the man alongside you or on the sidelines. Or instructions from the keeper.

“You need to be crystal clear about the gameplan when you’re going out onto the field. And if there are tactical or positional changes, then you need to trust that when a manager comes in from the sideline you have to pass it on as best you can. It is definitely a different thing to try and get used to. It’s the same for every line in the field.”

Of course, Cork will also have the formidable hurdle of the Leinster champions blocking their route to the final. O’Neill is in no doubt that that obstacle alone would be a daunting one, but feels he has enough experience of facing Anthony Daly’s side to know what kind of threat is coming after the anthems die down this Sunday.

“Looking back over the last few years I’ve played Dublin in the League, friendly games and even qualifiers so I’m lucky enough I’ve an idea of how big they are and what type of game they play. So I wouldn’t have to do much analysis personally.

“There are obviously tactics for the days and selectors and managers will be coming up saying different things; how a person strikes a ball, or what kind of delivery they give into their forward line.”

And O’Neill soon paid one of the highest possible compliments to the forward line coming for him:

“I’ve marked a few of them over the last few years. They’re very similar to Kilkenny forwards: they like to move around, very good off both sides, very fast, very strong and well able to win their own ball.

“So any forward on any of our six backs will be in a for a very strong challenge. These are the games you want to be playing in, you want to be playing against the best forwards in the country.

“Hopefully that’s going to bring out the best in us.”

Listen to the full interview tomorrow at 6pm on Cork’s Red FM along with the thoughts of JBM, Pa Cronin and Luke O’Farrell

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