Denis Walsh of The Sunday Times spoke to Joe Molloy on tonight’s Off the Ball. This week the talk was about two Cork men in hurling. Jimmy Barry Murphy is sticking with Cork, whereas Cork hurling legend Ger Cunningham is to take on the Dublin manager’s job.

Ger Cunningham joins Dublin on a three year deal and for many the question is why he never got a shot at the top job in Cork hurling. Walsh explains top us that the legacy of previous fractions within the county still hang overhead.

“This is the legacy politics of the Cork strike. Ger would have been seen as closely aligned with the players, closely aligned with Donal Og Cusack and with that side of the house,” Walsh told Off the Ball.

“Purely from a politics point of view the chances of Ger getting the Cork job any time soon, Ger would have known were quite remote.”

But the Dubs have found themselves a man capable of following on from the success of the Anthony Daly era, Walsh says. “He’s been a senior inter-county coach in waiting.”

“(Dublin) needed someone with a really strong profile, a really strong background of success ... and I think Ger Cunningham is the right guy.”

Denis Walsh gives us a comprehensive analysis of the politics of Cork hurling, and how they’ve affected Cunningham’s career both inside the Rebel county and further beyond.

Listen below to the full chat with Denis Walsh of The Sunday Times