He’s only 19. It’s only his first year in the Cork senior panel. Mark Coleman, however, has taken to inter-county hurling like a duck to water.
Cork gave Waterford a lesson in almost every aspect of hurling last Sunday. Mark Coleman, their brilliant half back was in a generous mood.
The blazing Blarney youngster exuded absolutely everything desired by a half back. He was quick, he was feisty and he was clever.
Coleman read the game like a book on Sunday. He appeared everywhere the ball was. The most impressive thing about Coleman’s display against the Déise, as it was in his barnstorming performance against Tipperary was his pinpoint delivery of the ball.
It must be a half forward or a full forward line’s dream to be on the end of some of the diagonal balls being sprayed across the field from the Cork half-back.
Tony Browne, a man who knows plenty about half back play, tweeted his delight with Coleman’s display.
https://twitter.com/TonyBrowne05/status/876493117050023938
JJ Delaney, a man who knows his fair share about defending, was also impressed with Coleman’s rounded performance.
“Ah I thought Mark epitomised everything that was good about Cork on Sunday. He took the hits, he gave the hits but he kept on going forward. He’s very, very clever on the ball and he uses it properly as well. He never just lumps it into the full forward line. If he does, it’s for a purpose.
He always tries to play cross-field ball and he tries to pick out the forwards. He got caught a couple of times, but what I liked about him was, he got caught once, but the next time he got the ball, he still tried to do the right thing again. He didn’t take the easy option,” said Delaney.
Coleman plays with an exuberance to match his tender years. The 19-year-old plays with the shackles off, he has no limitations and he’s well able to express himself on the field of play.
“Against Tipperary, he went down the field batted the ball off the ground, turned back and hit it across the field to one of his team-mates and they scored a point. He’s just very, very comfortable on the ball,” remarked Delaney.
The GAA Hour Show Host Colm Parkinson remarked Coleman’s tendency to remain on his side of the field, and his ability to dominate that area. It’s something that certain players may forget about it as they drift in field in search of the ball. That’s what a natural wing back does, they dominate their flank. Waterford and Tipperary got very little change off Cork’s left-hand side.
“You very rarely see him anywhere other than the left-hand-side of the field. He works his wing. ‘I’m left half back, I’m watching that side of the field, I’m going to dominate it and I’ll give tasty ball from that position,” remarked Parkinson.
Former Tipperary corner back Paddy Stapleton was also effusive in his praise of Coleman, who received man-of-the-match against Waterford.
“They (Cork) know he’s going to do damage from there. He mightn’t do damage coming in protecting the full back line. They know if he receives the ball out on that left wing, it’s going straight to the other side. It’s little wonder Harnedy is going to town. That’s the kind of ball he’s been missing. If you can give your full forward line that kind of weaponry (It’s dangerous).
Ger Loughnane on Mark Coleman on the Sunday Game "Up until today Blarney was known for a stone. Today it produced a rock."
— Barry O'Mahony (@barryomahony_9) June 18, 2017
He didn’t lack in his defensive (duties) There’s nobody getting the better of him. I was impressed that time he was out along the sideline, I think he got one hit off Maurice Shanahan. He still (displayed) close control, rounded the man and popped it out. He’s as cool a player as I’ve seen in 2017. That one player (Coleman) in Cork has made such a difference to them,” claimed the Borrisoleigh man.
You can listen to the lads’ chat about Coleman and much more from The GAA Hour Hurling Show right here.
