Kerry back in town for vital game
It’s a relatively quiet weekend after the drama of the last few with focus on the footballers and another double-header in camogie.
All-Ireland Senior Football Championship
Cork v Kerry on Saturday in SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh at 4.45pm
“Not the performance and result we wanted, started slowly and then got on top should have scored more, got caught for a goal somewhat against the run of play and that was disappointing,” explained Cork manager John Cleary after the loss to Meath last Saturday.
It was also the first time since the current format was introduced that Cork have lost a 1st round game, which makes qualifying all that bit harder, especially given that Kerry are next up on Saturday.
Cork did draw level early in the 2nd half, but failed to build on it and paid the ultimate price.
John agreed that was crucial: “Once we got level with the wind, I felt we would kick on but it never happened and when they got the chances Meath took them.”
The manager also knows how important the next game is. “Kerry are favourites for the All-Ireland; they have had a 2 two week break and impressed in the win over Roscommon and will be fresh.”
Cork did run Kerry close in the Munster semi-final, losing after extra-time and he is hoping to go one better this time round. “We will go away, review today and prepare as best we can for Saturday as we always do and give it our best shot.”
There is no doubt that Kerry are the hottest of favourites and having survived a real scare a few weeks ago, will come to town with all guns blazing and with a near full strength team.
Paudie Clifford will be back, David is in top form, Paul Geaney, Sean O’Shea, Gavin White, Diarmuid O’Connor and Jason Foley all have the ability to cause Cork problems.
Cork’s tally of 0-12 last Saturday would be a concern; okay the conditions were poor, but included in that was 2 two pointers and a couple of frees which meant the attack as a unit did not function.
Early on, the midfield battle was being won but as the game aged, Meath got on top and without the ball it is difficult to function properly - that is an area where Cork will need huge improvement.
What 15 John Cleary and his selectors start will be interesting.
Micheál Aodh Martin will be retained, Sean Brady might return and the omission of Rory Maguire last week was a surprise.
Ian Maguire and Colm O’Callaghan will once again be the midfield pairing and they will look for a better return possession wise, if not it could be another tough afternoon.
Chris Óg Jones and Mark Cronin were the principal scorers in the attack, and one wonders will the selectors fire the returning from injury Conor Corbett into that area as they need to improve, 0-12 now under the new rules is a paltry return.
Cork will raise their game as they always do when the green and gold jersey is in front of them but will it be enough to get their campaign back on track?
Kerry are well fancied to win, and on the evidence of the Navan game, it’s hard to go against that.
One final thought is that Derek O’Mahoney from Tipperary is the referee; he was the linesman that got Sean Brady sent off the last time they met, and similarly was also the lineman in Tralee last Friday night when Cork minor captain Cathal McCarthy was also, wrongly in the view of many, sent-off on his say.
A very strange choice.
The match is live on C103.
Glen Dimplex All-Ireland Senior Camogie Championship
Cork v Tipperary on Saturday at The Ragg at 4.30pm
The 3 in a row seeking champions had the easiest of wins over Limerick last Saturday as the shorts/skorts sage was finally put to bed. Interestingly a number of teams opted for skorts which was the real purpose of the debate in recent weeks in that the players be afforded the choice of what they should wear.
It was a debate that did little for the image of camogie but all sides must be commended for bringing the matter to a satisfactory conclusion.
The Camogie President Brian Molloy acted swiftly by calling a Special Congress to vote on the issue when in theory it could not, under current rules, be debated again until 2027. Now let’s hope all the politicians male and female who rowed into the discussion will now actually go to games.
Anyway back to the games.
There has been in the last few years a keen rivalry between these two sides but the Premier County would appear to have gone back a bit his season.
Cork beat them comfortably at the same venue in the league; Tipp didn’t score from play and they also lost to Waterford, controversially it must be said, in the Munster Championship.
It is also their opening game of the championship so they will be coming in not having had a competitive outing in a number of weeks.
Grace O’Brien was their only scorer in that league game and they will certainly want to improve on that if they are to upset the champions.
Clodagh McIntyre, Laura Leenane, Caoimhe Moore, Aoife McGrath, and Roisin Howard are among their better players and playing in the tight confines of The Ragg they will want to show they are much better then what they displayed in the league game.
Cork though are in excellent form and with a virtually full strength squad to pick from they will be favourites to win.
Amy Lee, Meabh Cahalane, Laura Treacy, Hannah Looney, Saoirse McCarthy, Emma Murphy and Orlaith Chalane are all in top form.
With the winners of the group going direct to the semi-final, this game will effectively decide that spot and it’s hard to look beyond Cork securing that position.
Under 23 Championship
Cork v Tipperary on Saturday at 2pm
When these sides met in the Munster Final recently, they produced a cracking contest that took extra-time to resolve with Cork eventually winning.
Like their senior counterparts it’s Tipperary’s first game while Cork were impressive winners over Kilkenny last Saturday in Páirc Uí Rinn.
In that Munster Final, Tipperary played very well for long periods a couple of injuries did not help them but in Aoife Dwyer, Grace Moloney, Anna Fahy, Kate Ferncombe, and Ciara Gleeson impressed that day but failure to score in extra-time proved their undoing.
That and Cork’s excellent finishing power.
Amy Sheppard has been in scoring form all season 2-6 last Saturday and with Isobel Sheehan, Orlaith Mullins, Niamh McNabola, Millie Condon, Ava Fitzgerald, Eimear Duignan and Rose Murphy all making important contributions it’s hard to see Cork losing.
Hurlers get the job done
So it’s a first Munster Final appearance since 2018 and a return trip to the Gaelic Grounds against the 7 in a row seeking champions Limerick. The thoughts of navigating that dreadful road around 10pm on a Saturday night; how bad though, better than being out of the championship!
While on that point playing a game of this importance on a Saturday night does not sit well with me, all to facilitate what will be a measly attendance at the Leinster Final on a Sunday.
The Munster Final in my opinion should be a Sunday afternoon fixture, end of story.
It’s hard to believe a number of Cork players will be appearing in their 1st Munster Final while already having played in an All-Ireland Final and only recently in a National League Final.
Cork without being overly impressive last Sunday got the job done and as Pat Ryan said at the outset, “the Munster Championship is a marathon, not a sprint and our aim is to get to the All-Ireland series” that has now been achieved and all the focus is on Saturday week.
The only concern now is the mounting injuries, with Ger Mellerick and Robbie O’Flynn joining that growing list. Let’s hope that a few will have cleared up ahead of what is sure to be another huge occasion.
Minor football
A second defeat to Kerry by double scores means Cork must now face the Ulster champions Tyrone in the All-Ireland QF on Saturday week in Portlaoise at 3pm, just a short few hours before the Munster Hurling Final in Limerick. Kerry and Cavan meet at 1pm surely a change of times must be considered here.
It’s been a worrying few weeks for underage football in the county; 4 heavy defeats to our neighbours 2 each in minor and under 20, a win over Clare and a draw with Tipperary, when we could have lost in under 20, and a extra-time win in minor over the same county does not bode well.
The gap between us and Kerry is widening while it appears to be narrowing between us and the so called weaker counties.
Interestingly for the Minor Final against Kerry last Friday night, of the 26 man panel, not one city club was represented and that is also a concern, the first time since the Minor Championship was introduced in 1929 that that has happened.