Mark Ellis had another really good game at #6 for Cork hurlers yesterday against All Ireland Champions Clare in the Munster Semi-Final.
He didn’t seen as much on the ball as last week, but the amount of tracking he did of Clare runners through the middle of the defence was great to see, and it snuffed out one of Clare’s most dangerous tactics (which is how Clare took Cork apart last year). In fact he seemed to spend as much time behind his own full back line as out in his centre back position.
But two minutes from the end he was injured in a collision with Aidan Walsh as he was catching a ball. Thankfully the injury’s not too bad … in a press release this evening the County Board have said:
“Following assessment by the medical team, Mark Ellis has been diagnosed with slight damage to his knee ligaments, having come off injured during Sunday’s game. Management are confident that Mark will be fully fit for the Munster Final on July 13th”
If you missed the match, you see it on the RTÉ Player for a few days
What they said in the media
“Then there was Mark Ellis at centre-back. He went off injured near the end and it was only then the Cork defence looked vulnerable. Cork will be hoping he’ll be fit for the Munster final” – Tony Considine in the Irish Examiner (16th June)
“… Mark Ellis just held that centre, and it’s when he went off in the end that those chances and goals came for Clare” – Ger Loughnane on the Sunday Game Live
“Ellis was the stand-out half back for me, held his ground well – Clare runs through the middle were noticeably absent. After only three matches he seems crucial to the team – it would be a big blow if he was to miss the Munster final” – KillYourSons on the Cork Hurlers Forum
“Galvin…in a position to attack & Mark Ellis quickly identified that & goes with him all the way. Mark Ellis has anchored this defence in the last couple of matches & …today we’ve seen the benefit of that for Cork” – Eddie Brennan on the Sunday Game
“… Add in Mark Ellis, who was good again yesterday” – Nicky English in the Irish Times (16th June)
“Damien Cahalane was very good too, Mark Ellis solid in the half-back line and young Alan Cadogan lively again. That’s four new players thrown into the mix and those players have really improved Cork” – John Mullane on the Irish Independent (16th June)
“There was concern for the Cork defender as he had to be helped from the pitch but the results of a scan indicate he should be back for the tie in four weeks in Páirc Uí Chaoimh. The Millstreet club man has been a huge addition to the Cork side this season after not being part of the squad that reached last September’s All-Ireland final” – theScore.ie (16th June)
… and he made the GAA Hurling team of the week – gaa.ie
“The half-back line was a very questionable area last year but two players have really strengthened this area. Mark Ellis has done very well at centre-back. He has patrolled the centre efficiently. Lorcán McLoughlin’s move to wing-back has also been an improvement. There is now a much better foundation to the side and they are a good launchpad for Cork’s attacking play” – PunditArena (17th June)
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At least it wasn’t as bad as the other Mark Ellis who nearly lost a leg due to a compartment syndrome injury he picked up while playing for the LA Dodgers a few weeks back!!!
Four hurlers from Duhallow in the red jersey of Cork against Ireland’s best do compete
Three from Kanturk and one from Millstreet
In all Counties of Ireland they are famed far and wide
Far beyond the borders of Duhallow’s green countryside
All Star Goalkeeper Anthony Nash and dual Intercounty player Aidan Walsh and Lorcan McLoughlin three of Kanturk’s own
Because of them Kanturk as a place of great hurlers has become widely known
And center half back Mark Ellis of Millstreet with distinction the red of Cork wear
From a club that has produced many a great Gaelic football player
Four Cork senior hurlers from Duhallow of applause this deserves an encore
As this is something that has never happened before
From a barony of great Gaelic footballers where good hurlers used to be rare
With honor and pride the rebel red they do wear
In sporting circles in Ireland four hurlers from Duhallow held in high esteem
Anything is possible in life it does seem
To these four great young hurlers congratulations is due
In life what has not seemed possible is sometimes known to come true
That they are four great hurling ambassadors for Duhallow of them cannot be denied
They do wear the famed red jersey of Cork with pride
In hurling they compete against Ireland’s best
And have yet to be found wanting when put to the test.
“Four Hurlers from Duhallow” is by Francis Duggan
http://francisrhymer.blogspot.ie/2014/06/four-hurlers-from-duhallow.html
… of course there’s another Duhallow man on the Cork team who came on as a sub the last day and was a starter all last year – William Egan of Kilbrin