MICHAEL DUIGNAN: BANNER NEED A PLAN FOR LEHANE
CLARE — hurling’s forgotten team. Rarely has a county that has won an All-Ireland in its recent history come into a Munster final under the radar.
Especially a team with the likes of Tony Kelly, Colm Galvin, Conor McGrath, Podge Collins and David McInerney — that’s a serious roll call of talent just there.
It wasn’t a big shock that the young and flamboyant team of 2013 lost its way a little bit. That can happen any group of players who make such a breakthrough — Kilkenny are the only team who have consistently come back, yearon-year.
With that in mind, I wasn’t overly concerned for Clare then when things didn’t fall their way in 2014. The big shock was not being able to hit anything like the same heights for another two seasons under Davy Fitzgerald.
I really do think they were stifled in playing the game. To be obsessed with the sweeper system when you have the sort of attacking talent listed above made little sense. All it was doing was giving the opposition an extra man against a top class set of forwards.
Then there’s the fact that in the 2013 final they played in an orthodox enough fashion — and beat Cork in a thrilling replay.
A sweeper suggests there is nearly a fear you don’t trust your backs, and you have to trust your backs.
I don’t think the system suited them at all. Taking short puckouts to the 20 metre line — I think there was a bit of confusion there with Donal Óg Cusack and Davy in the same set-up. You have two strongminded former goalkeepers who no doubt have different thoughts on the game.
Cusack brings a knowledge of his former Cork team-mate Anthony Nash, whose puckouts have been a revelation. His regular targets such as Conor Lehane at centreforward and Mark Coleman at wing-back have to take credit too, as there is a massive level of skill involved in taking a ball coming 100 miles an hour and starting an attack.
Lehane is the key man. His running from centre-forward and level of performance has been sensational. Does the centre-back go with him? If he does, then he’s in danger of being dragged out of position. To me, he has to be manmarked. Try and further cover his runs with a midfielder dropping back. His wides tally has been commented on given he can shoot on sight, but one of these days they are all going to go over and he’s going to score 10 points from play.
All the noises have been that the new joint management of Donal Moloney and Gerry O’Connor have tried to simplify things and play to their attacking strengths, but they still need a solid defensive plan.
For such a natural ball-player like Coleman, I’d put a strong forceful individual on him. Not to score a lot, but disrupt him. A John Conlon type, someone who can break up the play.
Coleman’s influence has been massive in Cork’s path to the final. The amount of time he seems to have on the ball is one sign of his class, as is his ability to set up scores.
On form, Cork should win it reasonably comfortably. A couple of things should help to close the gap. The first? Three big performances in a row is a huge ask. It’s natural to expect some sort of dip along the way.
And Clare have all the motivation they need to win a first Munster title, given that it’s 1998 since the last.
So much centres on the influence of Tony Kelly. Dip against Limerick aside, he has been brilliant for club and county. And he’s had that little bit of a break to recharge the batteries since the semi-final.
I sensed a steely determination in an interview Colm Galvin did during the week as well.
Twelve months ago, Cork were going nowhere. They were in an awful bad place. The manner in which they have turned it around should be inspirational to other counties who are feeling down.
Five new young players have made such a difference — Colm Spillane, Coleman, Darragh Fitzgibbon, Shane Kingston and Luke Meade. To be up to that standard, to be so comfortable in the cauldron of senior Championship, reflects so well on the underage work going on.
They have infused the team with such confidence and belief.
This defence is playing a lot meaner too. Tougher, more combative, but within the rules of the game. Diarmuid O’Sullivan was involved in the underage success and they seem to be playing with his best instincts.
Gary Keegan’s involvement is hardly a co-incidence either. Whether with Ireland’s boxers or Cork’s hurlers, it’s all about high performance.
That shone through in the John Giles documentary the other night — he got the best out of what he had. Whether you’re a brilliant player or a middle the road player, that’s the key.
Cork have been playing at a level that suggests they can stay on an upward curve.