Cork’s Alan O’Connor and the way he might look at ya
A beautiful miscalculation from a Kerry perspective.
The game itself was a superb spectacle. Seventy minutes flew by in what felt like an instant. It was a contest filled with pace, skill, aggression and controversy.
It was like a throwback to a time when there was no qualifier safety net to catch the loser. It really mattered on the pitch and on the terraces.
Haymaker after haymaker kept landing, but both fighters staggered up off the canvas for more.
In contrast to last season; Kerry employed no elaborate defensive structure, just man-on-man, and duly conceded 3-12. It should have been more.
Cork themselves didn’t morph into the ‘Great Wall of Donegal’ by any means, but Brian Cuthbert took the basic defensive template that Kerry used to great effect in Páirc Uí Chaoimh last year and tried to replicate it.
The defensive positioning of half forward Paul Kerrigan around his 20m line as a permanent sweeper provided them with an athlete back there that had the legs to aggressively double team the ball any time it came in his zone, and also gave them a ball player who was essentially a spare man, who could bring the ball out at pace and transfer it quickly from back to front a la Declan O’Sullivan in 2014.
He provided his defenders with the cover and confidence to make sure no-one was left isolated one-on-one.
It worked a treat, and slowed Kerry down enough to allow the Cork middleeight retreat deeper and collapse the space. It took some great kicking from both sides to keep the scoreboard ticking as regularly as it did.
Kerrigan’s black card was a significant one for Cork, and they struggled for a spell before half-time after his exit. It took Mark Collins and Paddy Kelly until the second half to really get to grips with the role.
It was the positioning of that sweeper that enabled the likes of Eoin Cadogan to have a massive impact on the game by nullifying Donaghy on the edge of the square.
Now, Kerry provided zero quality ball for Kieran to attack over the 70 minutes, but what came in, came straight back out for the most part.
The Cork full-back had the unwavering belief to go at every ball like his life depended on it, safe in the knowledge that he had cover should he miss it.
Further out the field, I thought Alan O’Connor was the guy who set the tone for Cork all day long with his manic work-rate and aggressive physicality. I know too well what kind of a raw-boned, honest type of an animal he is.
Back in the Munster semi-final of 2010 in Killarney, we played Cork in a less spectacular draw, but it’s a game I remember very little about.
The week before, I remember meeting Darragh Ó Sé and he laughing at the prospect of myself and O’Connor clattering into each other like two prize bulls.
‘Mind yourself with him’ was the message from Darragh as he chuckled away. I thought to myself — Jesus Christ, if Darragh is telling me to mind myself, this guy must be reckless altogether.
After about 20 minutes of the game, a kick-out came in my general direction on the stand side, but it started hooking back in towards the middle of the field. I’m tracking it all the way, my eyes only on the ball. Aidan Walsh, who was marking me, wasn’t close enough to challenge. It was my ball all day.
As a midfielder, you know this is the most dangerous ball to go after. There has to be traffic coming from the other side. You are open and exposed — a perfect target. These are the ones with the big collisions.
And that collision came in the shape of Alan O’Connor.
He had zero chance of getting the ball, but that didn’t matter. He was contesting everything and sending out a message; there would be no easy ones today… you earn every ball.
I caught it, fell to the ground after the collision and the referee eventually gave me the free. When I stood up, there was blood on my face and my right eye was half closed.
He had caught me with a beaut when challenging for the ball. I went to the sideline to get the blood cleaned up and was anxious to get back out on the field even though I was a bit wobbly.
I somehow made it to half-time, and walking in for the break, Jack O’Connor made a beeline for me to check if I was alright. Apparently I wasn’t.
My eye was nearly fully closed by now and I started asking Jack about going on holidays, and playing with a beach ball.
After a few quizzical looks, Jack decided that I might be better off sitting out the second half. Concussed apparently.
One of the first calls I remember getting later that evening was from Darragh… I could hardly understand a word he said he was laughing so hard at my misfortune.
But I think the general theme of the conversation was something along the lines of ‘I told you so’.
There was no suggestion of O’Connor pulling a dirty stroke. He just plays with a fearless intensity and has no problem risking his own personal safety for the good of the team.
Those type of people take casualties and are exceptionally rare. They make brilliant team-mates but dangerous opposition.
Kerry’s Seamus Scanlon was another one of that ilk.
O’Connor led and inspired his team-mates last Sunday from start to finish, and once David Moran went off, he took over completely around the middle and lifted everyone in a red jersey up on his back. An incredible performance from a guy who wasn’t even training with Cork eight weeks ago.
I’m sure Brian Cuthbert will feel satisfied somewhat with the performance of his team, if not the result.
His tactical adjustments worked for the most part, and none more so the performance and positioning of Barry O’Driscoll at wing back who had Kerry on the back foot all day. Cuthbert also had the good judgement to coax the O’Connor out of retirement, and he was the game’s dominant performer.
Defensively, he had them set up with greater protection, and overall his players performed far closer to their maximum than their Kerry counterparts. It was a good day for the Cork manager.
Unfortunately for him and his players, it didn’t yield the result they so desperately needed, and collectively, Kerry surely won’t be as abject on Saturday week.
- The replay throw in on Saturday July 18th, has been confirmed for 7pm at Fitzgerald Stadium in Killarney.
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