Plenty to gladden Rebel hearts
They were definitely at home yesterday, with a good crowd in the park, in fine voice during the game and in better voice at the final whistle. And why not? Cork have to be encouraged after this display.
This wasn’t your run-of-the-mill league game, certainly not reflective of the kind of matches we’ve seen up to now.
Wasn’t I foolish to even think, though, that there was a possibility this mightn’t be a serious clash? Isn’t there always something at stake when Cork and Tipp meet? This game – yet again – proved that, and what a match it was.
I said Saturday that I thought Tipp, because of the team they picked, looked more serious about winning, and on that basis I also gave them the nod to win but a nod was all it was, because I knew it would be close.
Even before the ball was thrown in you could see that both teams were up for this. It wasn’t just the warm-ups, it was the huddles with a lot of fiery words making their way up to the stands.
Cork had the better start and could have been a couple of goals up after only five minutes, and the man doing all the damage for them was Aisake O hAilpín. After all the opportunities he’s been given it was time for Aisake to start producing for Cork and yesterday he did just that. What I like about him too – and like his two older brothers before him – he’s a real crowd-pleaser. It isn’t just his ability to win the ball in the air, it’s his work-rate, his willingness to get stuck in. If he learns how to finish, and if his vision develops, this guy will be a major asset for Cork.
I questioned whether the proven and vastly experienced Cork half-back line of John Gardiner, Ronan Curran and Seán Óg O hAilpín still had the ‘toe’ needed at this level; well, they answered that question.
All three played very well, snuffing out the half-forward line threat of Tipperary, while delivering great ball up front. Tom Kenny in midfield too was outstanding, totally outplaying Shane McGrath. At centre-forward, Jerry O’Connor looked to me like a man with a free role, playing like a third midfielder and seemed to revel in the posting. Cathal Naughton too impressed; he has gotten a lot stronger since last year, and where defenders always had problems coping with his pace, now they’re going to have to deal with his strength also.
To me though, the top forward for Cork yesterday was Patrick Horgan.
I’ve admired this player for a while but this was as good as I’ve seen him. Mind you, while I always knew he had a bit of toughness to his play – he wouldn’t be a Glen-man otherwise! – I think even his most ardent admirers would have to admit that he was a lucky man to stay on the field after his little jab at Declan Fanning, as was Shane McGrath of Tipperary for his ‘afters’ on Jerry O’Connor.
Horgan’s goal though – the skill he showed to bring down that ball, then drill it to the net – was text-book. But it isn’t just his finishing – take as an example the vision and accuracy he displayed in finding Jerry O’Connor in the 67th minute. Phenomenal
I’ve said a lot about Cork, and had to, because this was a big win for them, but it takes two to tango, and boy, did Tipperary tango. Had midfielder Brendan Maher not been injured, who knows how it would have finished?
AND having talked about Patrick Horgan’s goal, I must mention Paul Kelly, and the goal he scored. It was a different style to Horgan’s, but what a finish! Noel McGrath also impressed in patches with three fine points as did Gearóid Ryan, but Tipperary’s big problem, and Liam Sheedy’s big challenge if they’re to win an All-Ireland this year, is to find a strong, ball-winning centre-forward. That’s where a lot of their problems originate, no-one to do the dirty on the 40. They have plenty of fine finishers, not enough fighters.
To finish, two things: my man-of-the-match was Shane O’Neill, that’s one, absolutely brilliant defender; secondly, why were so many Tipperary players so heavily bandaged yesterday? Are they in the middle of heavy training? We’ll know, won’t we, on May 30.
