Do or die tie for Cork footballers
After the drama of the Munster Hurling Final, focus is very much on the footballers this weekend as they bid to keep their season alive. An All-Ireland Minor Hurling semi-final is also down for decision, while there is also another Cork v Kerry encounter - this time in ladies football.
All-Ireland Football Championship Rd 3
Cork v Roscommon on Saturday in O’Moore Park Portlaoise at 4.15pm
“Very good two weeks, lads were a bit down obviously after the Kerry game, but they have worked hard since then and the gap between games has helped us,” said Cork manager John Cleary ahead of the must-win game on Saturday.
Picking themselves up after the Meath game was not easy. “It was not, long journey home tough weather conditions and then a quick turnaround to play one of the favourites for the All-Ireland, it was difficult but it’s where we are now and we just get on with it.”
John was disappointed with aspects in both losses. “In the Meath game we were in control and then conceded a goal against the run of play and never got back into the game.”
As for Kerry: “We started slowly, conceded a bad goal, got back into it but the lead at half-time was never going to be enough.”
Spurning goals did not help. “No, especially against quality teams you are going to be punished. We had a couple of one on ones and should have done better.”
It’s a strange situation they find themselves in, last season Cork had 4 points after 2 games yet still ended up in a Preliminary Quarter Final (PQF); now with no points after two games, a win and they will end up in exactly the same position - a PQF.
“Very much so but that’s the format we are playing under and it’s one I like and don’t see the need for change but that is for another day and we just need to win on Saturday to extend our season.”
Injuries have dogged the panel also season but there is good news on that score.
“Everyone is available, apart from Kevin O’Donovan who is out all season; Conor Corbett is back, so too is Tommy Walsh. We had a few knocks and bruises after the Kerry game, which you are going to get but nothing serious.”
Conor actually played and scored for his club Clyda Rovers over the weekend helping them to promotion in the process, which is a timely boost for a very good footballer after an injury ravaged 2 years.
“We will see how they go over the next few days before we make a call on the lads that are coming back after injury.”
Roscommon are familiar opposition; there was a league meeting a few months ago which they won easily, and a championship clash two years when Cork won a thriller in SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh.
It is unusual that neither side have won their home games, but Roscommon did draw with Meath in Hyde Park, so another draw will do them on Saturday.
John is well aware that they face a tough challenge, describing them as “a very good team. They trimmed us in the league down here, strong in midfield and a few very dangerous forwards so we know the task we are facing.”
Enda Smith, Niall Higgins, Brian Stack, Ciaran Murtagh, Daire Cregg, Eddie Nolan and Conor Cox are big players for the ‘Rossies.
The Cork 15 will be interesting but whatever 15 is named could very well change before the actual throw-in, as the manager has done in recent games.
Ian Maguire, Daniel O’Mahony, Colm O’Callaghan, Matty Taylor, Brian O’Driscoll, Brian Hurley, Mark Cronin and Chris Óg Jones all look certain starters with the supporting cast now with a number of viable options with the injury situation improving.
Cork will look to get an early grip in midfield; if they can do that and the forwards on this occasion improve their conversion, it’s a match they are well capable of winning.
It’s been a tough few weeks for football in the county at all levels let’s hope this game can be won and give it a badly needed lift.
Finally a lovely gesture by the squad to honour ‘centurions’ (not in age now may I add), Ian Maguire, Brian Hurley and Ruairí Deane. Hopefully a few more to add to the ‘100’ already reached.
Full commentary on C103.
Electric Ireland All-Ireland Minor Hurling semi-final
Cork v Clare on Sunday in Thurles at 1pm
An unusual time for a game of this importance, but then again why am I not surprised? Kerry and Cavan in football was played at midday last Saturday.
There appears to be a downgrading of these very important competitions in recent years with games been played at very unattractive times.
It is not about time to bring back minor games as curtain-raisers to senior games; far better to be watching the next generation of players playing than listening or in most case not listening to some individual or band blaring out music.
When these sides met in the group phase of the Munster Championship in Tulla, Cork produced an exceptional performance to win, a really entertaining contest after a slow start.
Cork have been unbeaten all season and Clare after finishing in the top 4 in Munster, battled their way back through the qualifiers with some good displays.
None more so then in the QF win over Galway who they confined to just 1-1 in the 2nd half, having been behind at the break.
Paul Rodgers is a key player for the Banner county and is an exceptional freetaker, while Jack O’Halloran, Dara Kennedy, Colm Daly, Rory Ralph, Ian O’Brien and Leon Talty have all enjoyed good campaigns and will be keen to reverse the Tulla result of last April.
Clare actually led that game at half-time but Cork were superb in that second-half engineering a 12 point turnaround to ultimately win by 7 points, 3-24 to 3-17.
This is an exceptionally good Cork side and they have displayed that all season, strong in all areas and playing a nice brand of direct hurling.
Defensively they are solid, goalkeeper Tom C Walsh is fronted by Darragh Heavin, Michael Tadgh Brosnan, Bobby Carroll and Colm Garde.
The midfield pairing of Tom Walsh and Jack Counihan has given them a winning platform and the attack has benefitted with the quality ball it receives.
Cormac Deane, Craig O’Sullivan, Ruairc O’Donovan, Sam Ring and Ryan Dineen have always delivered when it mattered.
The one slight concern is that they have not played a competitive game since the Munster Final on 16 May, while Clare have had 2 championship games against Dublin and Galway in the last few weeks, which will have brought them on.
Cork manager Fergal McCormack will have factored all that into his preparation and I am sure they will be ready for what is expected to be a mighty challenge.
That said this is a very grounded and impressive Cork side and for all Clare’s improvement I expect Cork to win and progress to the All-Ireland Final.
TG4 All-Ireland Ladies Football Senior Championship
Cork v Kerry on Saturday in SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh at 2.30pm
Can the ladies do what no male Cork side has done this year and beat a team from across the county bounds?
The odds though are stacked in favour of the reigning All-Ireland champions who got their campaign up and running last weekend with a win over Mayo, so another win here will send them into the knockout phase.
Cork had a good league run which saw them promoted back to D1, they did lose the final to Galway but the objective had been achieved.
Their form since though has been only fair, they gave Kerry a good enough contest in the Munster Championship that after a poor first half and got over Tipperary.
They were well beaten by Waterford in the final group game, that denied them a place in the Munster Final and sent them into the All-Ireland series as a 3rd seed.
Waterford to be fair gave Kerry a good contest in the Munster Final and drew with Dublin last week in the All-Ireland which is a measure of their standing right now.
Cork are in transition and they do have some very good players, although Erika O’Shea’s return to Australia is a blow as she is a quality player; Katie Quirke, Emma Cleary, Hannah Looney, Dara Kiniry, Sarah Murphy and Mellissa Duggan are big players for Cork who will need to be at their very best to win this one.
The odds favour Kerry to win, which would leave Cork heading to Castlebar and a meeting with Mayo a week later to keep their championship ambitions alive.
Munster Final drama
Well that was something else in the Gaelic Grounds last Saturday night as we ended Limerick’s dream of 7 in a row, just like we denied them 5 in a row last season, but there’s a lot of hurling to be played yet.
Well done though to all involved for the passion and desire displayed - a total contrast to what we witnessed at the same venue 3 weeks ago, they certainly did the jersey proud.
As for penalties, I am not a fan, unfair that a final of such importance should be decided in that manner.
Interestingly in Offaly on Tuesday at the Championship launch, GAA President Jarlath Burns was of the same opinion and also felt that it should have gone to a replay with a slight adjustment in the season. He also expressed the view that All-Ireland Finals could revert back to August by 2027 - let’s hope so.