SO NEAR AND YET SO FAR
FOOTBALLERS MISS OUT ON SPOILS IN ENNISKILLEN
Sunday, February 3 Páirc Uí Chaoimh 1pm
THIS weekend, as part of a double header at the home of Cork GAA, Cork will take on Kildare in round 2 of the Allianz National Football League Division 2 and, while that may not seem like the most exciting of introductions, the facts are as stated.
Last weekend Cork began their league campaign away to Fermanagh and managed to salvage what was a hard fought draw. While on the face of it a draw away to one of the less powerful Ulster sides may not seem like much, Cork need to collect every point they can and if they can manage to avoid defeat to sides that over the last few years have turned the rebels over then this year may well turn out to be something of a turning point.
Ronan McCarthy has seen Cork stagnate in recent times and, while the head tactician doesn’t have a full squad to pick from just yet, it is clear that there are still some white smoke signals coming from a football camp that has been under siege for almost a decade now.
This Sunday’s test, at home to the Lilywhites, will not be as easy as it may once have been as the Leinster side have not only shown well in their own province in recent times but they have had a hoodoo over Cork since dumping them out of the championship in 2015.
At the time of that loss Cork were seen as one of the “Big Six”, however, since that heavy defeat in Semple Stadium, one of Cork’s lowest points in recent times, Cork have been on the slide but now there may well be something of a resurgence in the game locally – on and off the pitch, as the County Board begin to implement their #2024 plan.
On the field, Kildare will bring plenty to this one with their battling qualities clear for all to see after they dragged a draw from the jaws of defeat at home to Armagh in their opener last weekend. Kildare’s Jimmy Hyland was the man with the golden touch and the talisman may well have a serious input into what happens Leeside this Sunday.
Players of the quality of Conor Hartley after Kevin Feely will also have their say while Fergal Conway, Adam Tyrell and Ben McCormack should play their part in what will be one of the tougher home games for Cork this season.
At the back Mark Dempsey, David and Mark Hyland as well as centre-back Eoin Doyle will play a part in what the Kildare management and supporters will be hoping is their first win of the league season.
On the other side, Cork will have a fair idea of the challenge that awaits, but McCarthy and his backroom team will be eager to show a good hand against the visitors.
“It’s a very difficult division,” he noted after the game with Fermanagh last weekend.
“You’ve Fermanagh and Armagh coming up. Fermanagh had good run last year and they were looking to build on that. You’ve Kildare and Donegal coming down, which makes the division very tight
and difficult.
“There’ll be lots of finishes like this in matches and it’ll come down to tight margins. We found that last year. In game six we were in contention for promotion, lost it and suddenly you’re in danger of relegation. It was tight margins and it’s going to be no different this year.”
Last weekend Mallow’s Matty Taylor bagged his side’s only goal and the Avondhu man will be hoping it helps secure him another starting berth, as the manager looks to nail down his first championship 15.
Brian Hurley of Castlehaven and Luke Connolly from Nemo will need to show well in front of their home fans while Ian Maguire will need to bring some of the form that saw him guide St Finbarr’s to their first county title in over three decades.
At the back James Loughrey (another Mallow man) along with possibly Stephen Cronin will look to hold the defensive line while Fermoy’s Tom Clancy and Bantry’s Ruairi Deane have all the class in tow to make a difference here.
“I thought Kevin [O’Donovan]
Trotting out the chicken and egg analogy won’t work. The team needs to start winning so fans can justify paying
and Conor [Dennehy] in the corners showed great attitude,” McCarthy said.
“Very tenacious. I thought they defended very well throughout. Eoghan McSweeney was outstanding. Damian [Gore] worked very hard inside, but it’s very hard as forward to get on the ball in a game where you don’t have much space, shall we say.
“Any away game in the league is difficult. An away game to Fermanagh is extra difficult. I thought they all showed up very well. Liam Donovan did very well when he came in as well. We showed a bit of coverage which is good.”
A win is of course the target for Cork and if they can get it that would be a fairly impressive return from their opening two ventures, but on the other side of that coin a loss could be seen as just another nail in what has already become one of the more secure coffins that Ireland has ever seen.
Early in the week some bookmakers had this as evens for each side, however, that may have been more of a reflection on the lack of interest than on the game as a whole.
Cork need the footballers to start producing which in turn should help the sports mad county to row in behind them. Trotting out the chicken and egg analogy won’t cut it anymore – the team needs to start winning so the fans can justify paying to watch.
In recent times Kildare would have been favourites and they may well be again this time, but I feel this may well be Cork’s day – and perhaps the start of something new. Here’s hoping.
Verdict: Cork