Joyce still getting used to switch as Cork eye Limerick
Ciarán Joyce says playing at full-back is a "different ball game completely" as he adapts to his new role under Ben O'Connor.
The All-Star wing-back had little experience of playing on the edge of the square until starting there against Offaly a month ago.
Since then, Joyce has limited Shane O’Brien to one point in the league final and kept Hurler of the Year John McGrath to the same tally in Cork's Munster Championship opener against Tipperary. Both full-forwards were withdrawn early.
The Castlemartyr clubman finds number three to be a tougher job than the half-backs, but it’s one he’s acclimatising to well.
"It's a huge difference. It's a different ball game completely," said Joyce.
"You're constantly concentrating on your men the whole time and you can't lose concentration for one second, because the full-forward line, for Tipp and for every team, they're very good.
"So if you lose your concentration, they'll turn you and score. I'm still getting used to it."
Joyce reckons the league final defeat to Limerick brought Cork on leaps and bounds. They struggled to break through the lines that day in a 1-27 to 1-21 defeat.
Ciarán Joyce battling with Tipperary's John McGrath last Sunday
On Sunday, they successfully unlocked Tipp by working the ball short before finding their dangermen on the flanks.
"We learned an awful lot in that league final. When you lose, you nearly learn more," said Joyce.
"Against Limerick, especially our own puckouts and working the ball out, there were two things we learned a lot on.
"I haven't seen the stats yet, but I'd say they're definitely positive, anyway."
Cork did most of the hurling in the first half at Semple Stadium, yet still found themselves level at 0-13 apiece. They found their stride thereafter, outgunning Tipp by 0-13 to 0-04 across the next 25 minutes, until a late revival brought the final margin back to four points.
"We knew there was definitely more in us," said Joyce of their half-time team talk.
"Going in at half-time, 13-all, we felt we were yet to catch fire – in training the last couple of weeks, we've been going well.
"We were just waiting for things to happen, really, in the first half. But, thankfully, for that 20 minutes in the second half, the ball was getting zipped around more, and we played better hurling."
They face a quick turnaround to get ready for Limerick on Sunday.
The Treaty are coming in fresh from an opening-round bye, having embarked on a warm-weather training camp after the league final.
It remains to be seen whether Joyce will renew acquaintances with O’Brien or be handed the task of tagging league final man of the match Aaron Gillane.
"Seven days' time, it's a quick turnaround," he said, "but, look, we’re used to it. We're at it a couple of years now, so we can't wait for it."
Watch Cork v Limerick in the Munster Hurling Championship on Sunday from 1.30pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player. Follow our live blog on RTÉ.ie/sport and RTÉ News app and listen to Sunday Sport on RTÉ Radio 1
Watch highlights on The Saturday Game and The Sunday Game from 9.30pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player. Follow a live blog on all matches on the RTÉ News app and on rte.ie/sport. Listen to Saturday Sport and Sunday Sport on RTÉ Radio 1
