No sugar-coating from McCarthy after latest setback in Páirc Uí Chaoimh

YET again Cork’s senior football manager Ronan McCarthy faced the media and yet again the questions were tough and the answers were honest.

Losing to Cavan in the National Football League was hardly a reason to throw the toys out of the pram and credit to the manager he didn’t. Losing in the manner that the side did however is a different matter but still the head tactician kept his cool – obviously any recriminations and “hair-dryer” moments will be kept behind closed doors.

“I’m not angry,” he said.

“It was disappointing. We spoke about this game. We knew it was a big game and a top of the table class and look it was a very poor performance on the back of a very poor second half against Louth in our last game so whatever about being angry, anger won’t get me anywhere.

“The very basic thing is you have to hunt the ball down and chase it and work and so on. You identify things. You do all this preparation and match analysis and when they’re not executed, that’s disappointing.

“I don’t think we got any handle on their system at all in the first half. I would put that down to simple lack of work rate, tracking of men, and passing fellas off. I think what you find nowadays with so many fellas behind the ball is that fellas pass players off to others and mark space and not actually tackling anyone and I felt that was more of an issue than just not playing well.

“When you’ve good players coming through unchallenged and unmarked, and drifting around the far side of your defence, you’re going to pay a price for it.

“We made a statement at halftime, making four changes in the one go. We probably worked a bit harder in the second half. But look if your five points down at half time having played with the wind against a team with a good system MAIN MAN

KEY MOMENT in place your up against it and yeah we won the second half but the damage was done in the first half.

“Even if we got something out of the game, I’d be sitting in front of you saying that first-half performance was terrible.”

McCarthy is willing to accept that his played didn’t perform on the day but any talk of a Páirc Uí Chaoimh hoodoo is pure drivel.

“Complete and utter nonsense. I was asked that question during the week and I don’t buy that at all,” he said.

“I think it’s complete and utter nonsense and if people want to start that, I just wouldn’t accept that. It’s a pitch. Go out and play.”

The loss will be a big blow to McCarthy however how big a blow was not clear to the manager after the game.

“Meath didn’t qualify with nine points last year, Kerry did qualify for a league final with eight. You don’t know, but let’s not worry about promotion for the moment. Let’s worry about winning the next game and establishing ourselves around mid-table.”

McCarthy’s admission that his team will likely again fail to leave Division 2 by the front door will be difficult news to hear for the faithful, but sometimes the truth hurts and the new commander in chief wasn’t prepared to speculate and give false hope on things that he saw as being out of his control.

It will be difficult for fans to accept that Cork need to consolidate a mid table spot in the second tier before looking anywhere else, but the reality of what faces McCarthy and his backroom team was never crystallised more than in Páirc Uí Chaoimh last Sunday.

Huge work to do to get this Cork side challenging at anything like the level you would expect from a county with such a wealth of talent at its disposal.

Plenty to consider but none from Cork. Mallow’s Matthew Taylor looked good after coming in at the turn, as did Cork’s John O’Rourke. Kiskeam keeper Anthony Casey also did really well between the sticks however the Man of the Match award must go to the victors.

TALKING POINT. 1

Many – none of them relate to a piece of action. Fans left the Páirc last weekend wondering if there is any light at the end of this tunnel. Cork were poor, they looked disjointed, outclassed and honestly out of their depth at times. Not what we want to see but becoming all too common.

TALKING POINT. 2

We never do two talking points but this time it is needed. The pitch in Páirc Uí Chaoimh last weekend was a disgrace. A stadium, which has just opened with a massive price tag must have a better playing surface. Apart from the effect it has on the game - players welfare is at risk.

There was a period between the 25th and 35th minute, which showed the difference between these two sides. Cavan pushed on from parity at five points all to 0-9 to 0-5 at the turn. Cork had no answers and although there was plenty time left to turn this one around Cork couldn’t get back from this short but telling spell.