The two words no Cork manager wants to read: Looking Good

Peadar Healy is an under-the-radar sort, so announcing themselves with 1-18 against the second-ranked team in the country is probably leaping a little too energetically into February for the new manager of the Cork footballers.

All things considered, though, yesterday’s demolition of Mayo ticked about as many positives as there is in the springtime. And demolition it was. With 15 minutes left, Cork led at Páirc Uí Rinn 1-18 to 0-7. Stephen Rochford’s debut as Mayo manager was entering the realm of embarrassment, and the last five points of the game didn’t spare them from such a conclusion, if truth be told.

Where Mayo struggled to glean any positive from their weekend in Cork, progressive shoots abounded for Healy. Ian Maguire back in midfield, Ruairi Deane also, as a substitute. Kieran Histon growing into the game after an iffy start. Paul Kerrigan delivering a captain’s performance, befitting the new armband bestowed on him for the season. Luke Connolly showing an appetite for work in keeping with his undoubted talent — now he has to prove that’s not an aberration. And Tomás Clancy and Brian O’Driscoll showing great poise going backwards and forwards. The half-backs grabbed three points between them.