Dónal Óg Cusack believes Cork have closed the physical gap on their rivals amid positive signs of progress.
Pat Ryan's team have made a good start to the Allianz Hurling League, following up last week's win over reigning All-Ireland champions Limerick with a 4-24 to 3-22 win over Galway on Sunday.
While it may be early days in 2023, former Cork All-Ireland winning goalkeeper Cusack has been impressed by what he has seen from his native county, with the forwards hunting in packs.
"There were three things Cork were really looking for out of the league. Had they closed the gap in terms of physical conditioning with other teams?" he said on RTÉ's Allianz League Sunday.
"We know Limerick have stolen a march on everybody else. And could (Cork) nail down some challenging positions like full-back and centre-back? And the next thing was could we get attackers that enjoyed hunting as much as scoring? There were positive signs today.
"It's a foundational part of the game. It's been so obvious in Cork's play over the last number of years that we haven't matched other teams in terms of intensity.
Dónal Óg Cusack has been impressed with Cork but is sure that nobody in the Rebel County is getting too carried away at this stage. pic.twitter.com/pFFl2wmPAJ
— RTÉ GAA (@RTEgaa) February 12, 2023
"We know attackers need to be as hungry to defend as much as score now. I guarantee you Pat Ryan or nobody else is going to get too carried away in Cork but there's definitely positive signs."
And it is the evident improvement in regard to strength and conditioning which also appears to be paying off and underpinning the work-rate.
"I definitely think from a strength and conditioning point of view, Limerick have set the bar over the last number of years," said Cusack.
"All teams seem to lose a couple of steps to Limerick on that but I would say definitely you looked at Cork players over the last number of years and that's not something that happens overnight.
"Proper strength and conditioning starts at 15, 16, with having really good programmes in place, educating the players about how they should be training, how should they be looking after themselves.
"I would have said it was missing in Cork. I can tell you absolutely for a fact it was missing in Cork. But I would say slowly but surely it appears as if we are starting to close the gap. But that isn't something that happens overnight."
