The four key battles likely to determine the outcome between Kerry and Cork

EVEN with tactics galore, games of football still often boil down to getting the match-ups right, to the gladiatorial aspect of mano a mano combat. Here are four of the likely key battles we’re going to see when Cork come to Fitzgerald Stadium this Saturday afternoon...

David Clifford v Daniel O’Mahony

AS is the norm since he made his senior inter-county debut in 2018, getting Clifford on the ball as quickly, and as often, as possible, will be paramount for Kerry. With his stellar range of talents, he remains the key cog in the Kingdom machine.

For Jack O’Connor, the biggest issue is, on a rare day where the side’s chief talisman is not at his irresistible best, who steps up, consistently, to deliver the goods? Paudie Clifford and Seán O’Shea can generally be relied upon, but others must come to the fore, starting this Saturday.

Last year, at Páirc Uí Chaoimh, John Cleary placed Daniel O’Mahony in direct head-tohead battle with the younger Clifford sibling and, while the Fossa sensation top scored for Kerry (1-5, including 0-4 from play), the Knocknagree defender is likely to get the nod once more on this occasion.

O’Mahony has the physique, the pace, and the self-assurance, to go toe-to-toe with Clifford, while obviously needing help from his team-mates at the same time.

The weapons that the Kerry star has at his disposal are usually too much for any single defender, so the group collective will be crucial for Cork.

Paudie Clifford v Seán Powter

WHEN David Clifford’s radar was off, to a degree, in last year’s All-Ireland final, it was his brother Paudie who did more than anybody else to propel his side towards victory against Dublin. It didn’t happen in the end, but that was no fault of the gifted playmaker.

Indeed, while the two-time reigning Footballer-of-the-Year will always be the name that gets people talking, you could make a strong case right now for arguing that it’s Paudie who makes the whole Kerry team tick. His development since he became a regular in 2021 has been pretty astounding.

While Cork will not want to detail either Luke Fahy or Mattie Taylor to curb Kerry’s conductor of the orchestra, principally because they are too valuable going the other way, and with Seán Meehan needed to hold the centre of the defence, Tommy Walsh could be a candidate for the job.

However, maybe the Cork management will consider pulling a rabbit from the hat in Killarney, and dropping Seán Powter back, not as a sweeper where he operated at times last June, but in a direct man-on-man battle with Paudie? His diminutive size, and his pace, might make him the perfect fit.

Conor Corbett v Graham O’Sullivan

SINCE he was the undoubted star performer on the Cork team that won the All-Ireland minor title in 2019, Clyda Rovers forward Corbett has always been expected to turn into a star operator at senior level. Of course, there are never any cast-iron guarantees.

The dreaded cruciate knee ligament injury has, most certainly, slowed down the development of this extremely accomplished footballer but, now that he seems to be 100% fit and firing, Corbett has the individual ability to cause real issues for the Kerry defence on Saturday.

Dove-tailing with the in-form Chris Óg Jones and long-time talisman Brian Hurley (currently affected by niggling injury issues), curbing Corbett will be important for the hosts. Yet, in the absence of the injured Jason Foley, it remains to be seen how Kerry will line up their defenders at the weekend.

In the last league game with Galway, in the first match without the Ballydonoghue full-back, Kerry dropped Tadhg Morley back but, ideally, they will want him in his specialised sweeper role.

Graham O’Sullivan, with his aggressive brand of defensive tenacity, might well be the best option to unsettle the 22-year-old Corbett.

Ian Maguire / Colm O’Callaghan v Diarmuid O’Connor / Barry O’Sullivan

JOE O’Connor had a very encouraging National League campaign, playing all seven matches, and getting better with each passing assignment. If the Austin Stacks man is fully fit, he will certainly get the nod to partner his Tralee colleague in the middle of the park.

However, reports of a hamstring injury, and the fact that he didn’t do any on-field training on the recent training camp in Portugal, would indicate that O’Connor is in the doubtful category for Saturday. With a busy schedule coming down the tracks, no matter the result this weekend, prudence is called for.

Taking a genuine risk with anybody wouldn’t make sense with Kerry’s championship season in its very infancy. O’Connor may well be minded, and that would open up the possibility of a starting debut in this competition for Barry ‘Dan’ O’Sullivan or, indeed, Seán O’Brien.

The Dingle man’s greater experience, and ability to match Ian Maguire in the physical stakes, could be the deciding factor. Then it’s up to Diarmuid O’Connor to get the better of a fascinating individual battle with Cork’s Colm O’Callaghan, with both players very capable of picking up a few scores as well.