Plenty of intrigue in Cork and Tipp clash
Last Sunday, in the two biggest games of the day, we had 47 scores in Nowlan Park between Galway and Kilkenny while in Thurles, Tipperary and Waterford served up 38. There was more to play for in those games than anywhere else, yet we still had all that scoring. Is that a reflection of the quality of the forwards, or the lack of quality in the backs? Or is it a reflection that this league isn’t being taken very seriously, that we have yet to see any championship-type intensity in defence, with players willing to put their bodies on the line?
Either way, it’s been very entertaining and no-one can complain about lack of value.!
We come to tomorrow, and another two big matches – if Galway beat Dublin in Pearse Stadium and if Cork beat Tipp in Páirc Uí Chaoimh, both are through to the final, leaving the league over as a contest with one round of games still to play.
These, then, are the two big ones this week, and the main one is Cork/Tipp.
The big question here is, which of them wants more to be in the league final? Remember, if Tipp win, they still have a chance of making the final, and if Cork then beat Galway in their last game, we could even see another Cork/Tipp meeting in that final, a few weeks before they’re scheduled to meet in the first round of the Munster championship at the end of May.
Do either of these teams really want that? That’s the big question. The answer? I think Cork want it less.
Notice the number of changes Cork make again this week, and one change in particular. Martin Coleman in goals, and he’s a fine keeper, but – for my money – the main man in this Cork team, the man who makes them tick, is Donal Óg Cusack.
When he’s there, Cork are stronger; he really controls that defence, all the way out to the half-back line, and his puckouts and clearances set up many an attack.
Without Cusack, and no disrespect to either Anthony Nash or Coleman, Cork are definitely weaker.
I DO, however, like the look of this Cork defence. Shane O’Neill is one of the top defenders in the country at the moment, Eoin Cadogan is one of my players to watch this year (though I do think he’s going to struggle to combine hurling and football), while Brian Murphy is a player I’ve admired for some years and now back in his best position.
One question about the half-back line – have they still got the ‘toe’, the ability to turn and chase? They’re up against a real pacy Tipp half-forward line in Noel McGrath, Lar Corbett and Gearoid Ryan – that’s going to be some battle.
Cork will be up against it in midfield, where Shane McGrath is outstanding and Brendan Maher is making progress – Tom Kenny and Lorcan McLoughlin (a new boy) will have their work cut out for them here.
Could it be that we’ll see Jerry O’Connor back out there before game’s end?
Up front, Cork have two very lively wing-forwards (a real flyer in Cathal Naughton), with Jerry O’Connor in his new club position of centre-forward. I like the two corner-forwards, but Aisake has got to start taking his opportunities at full-forward. He has had a lot of chances – how many more before the Cork management decide he just hasn’t got it? This is a big one for him, and if he manages to get something from Padraic Maher – whom I rate very highly – then Cork could be onto something.
I find it hard to call it, but looking at the selections, I’m inclined to go for Tipperary.
To Galway and Dublin, and you’d have to fancy Galway here, especially with the Portumna lads back. That was a big win last week against Kilkenny, in Nowlan Park but they must drive on from that.
In the other games, I think Waterford will be too strong for Offaly in Walsh Park, and Kilkenny will win in Limerick.
- Last word: A great Gael passed during the week, Joe Fennick, an outstanding character who recorded all the big moments in Clare GAA over the last 25 years. He will be missed – sincere sympathy goes out to his family.
