Patrick Kelly: Defeat won't define Cork's season...but a win could make it
MORE OF THE SAME: Kerry's Gavin White and Ian Maguire of Cork battle for possession during last year's Munster GAA Senior Football Championship Semi-Final at Fitzgerald Stadium, Killarney. Pic: INPHO/Bryan Keane
Cork versus Kerry always matters. It’s bred into us. But it’s starting to feel less significant. Or at least lower down on the priority list as teams focus on other competitions and other stages of the year. The root cause is of course the championship structure. The seasons begins with the competitiveness of the league and concludes with the cut-throat nature of the group stages (relatively) and knockout stages. These highs sandwich what feels like a two-month lull in proceedings where nothing of any major significance occurs; bar the local rivalries and few remaining Sam Maguire spots. Until the GAA grasp the nettle and push the provincial championship forward to before the league we are stuck with what feels like an unequal and unfair All Ireland series where the life is sucked out of it when it should be ramping up.
Sticking to the present and the Cork footballers will hope home advantage can count for something as they host their fancied opponents tonight. The most recent evidence of how Kerry have adapted to the new rules was on show in their league final win over Mayo. I, like many others, felt the new rules would suit the natural playing style of Kerry more than any other county. In recent years they, like pretty much every county, opted to withdraw every outfield player into their own 65 when out of possession. This had a major impact on their ability to quickly transition from defence with their famed heads up football and kick passing. The return to this style was evident several times early on against Mayo; one example being a Barry Dan O’Sullivan turnover which led to Paudie Clifford carrying before delivering long for Paul Geaney to score from play.
Cork will have identified this as a key focus for this evening’s game. Turnovers are to be avoided at all costs. It makes me think that the second half from Cork above in the Gaelic Grounds against Limerick a fortnight ago might be the template adopted by the home side. With a man extra and a handsome lead Cork essentially played keep ball outside the arc and waited for openings before pouncing. This lateral, repetitive play doesn’t make for pretty viewing but if it ends in a Cork shot going dead and an opportunity to press the Kerry kickout then Cork will take it. A more adventurous and aggressive approach may be needed to progress during the summer but for now Cork may benefit from being cautious.
From a kickouts perspective it will again be interesting. Cork might surprise us with variation on their kickout, but their success will likely be dictated by whether they can win above sixty percent of their overload kickouts to the left wing. Cork have struggled previously, most notably in Ennis in 2023, when the opposition team hit a purple patch on their long kickout. The flip side is Cork at their most dangerous when they break quickly from a kickout won with their powerful runners. At the other end, Shane Ryan and Kerry showed good variation against Mayo looking for pockets with movement. Cork’s press on opposition kickouts is strong as they will look to force Ryan long with their two banks of four press. For Cork to have any chance they need to dominate both kickouts.
A major positive of the new rules is the return of one-to-one contests. In recent years it was almost irrelevant who nominally marked David Clifford or Brian Hurley as there would be at least a plus one on them in addition to the remainder of the defending team inside the 45-meter line. Kerry will look to utilise their vision and kick passing skills to feed their inside men with one-on-one opportunities. The match ups won’t be known until the stadium announcer lets us know not long before throw-in but the most critical one is likely to be who Cork put on Paudie Clifford. Mattie Taylor is the obvious choice but he will need plenty of assistance from those around him as Clifford solos and jinks his way throughout the pitch.
My major concern for Cork from the Limerick game is how dangerous Limerick looked in the first twenty-five minutes when playing with a full complement. Several times Limerick exposed Cork with runners coming at angles, on cutbacks and on give and go's. They let themselves down in their handling and execution too often; it is hard to see Kerry being as forgiving. Looking at the data from the league Kerry predominantly attack to the right corner; feeding David Clifford at every opportunity. They haven’t looked to make much use of the two-point arc, choosing instead to work it in closer to the D for tap overs or probe for goal chances. Graham O’Sullivan, Brian O’Beaglaoich and Gavin White have the speed and football to arrive late to create goal scoring opportunities; something Cork must avoid at all costs. The concession of only one goal across the three most recent meetings indicates that Cork were able to stifle Kerry’s goal threat well; with Sean Powter usually sweeping to good effect. The reduction in bodies available to defend with will make this evening’s challenge even greater.
For Cork to win this evening they will need to produce something akin to their outstanding display against Donegal last summer. They’ll need heroics in defence, a powerhouse display from midfield duo Ian Maguire and Colm O’Callaghan, at least two of Brian Hurley, Chris Og Jones and Mark Cronin to catch fire, and a massive impact off the bench from Ruairi Deane, Cathail O’Mahony and others. A defeat won’t define their season; a win could make it.
