Corrigan quietly confident of conquering Kingdom

COLMAN CORRIGAN smiles as he recalls the scenario 12 months ago when the Cork footballers came together to prepare for the new season.

He reflects on the progress made in the interim and bristles with excitement at the prospect of a place in the All-Ireland SFC Final.

And as a former player who experienced the highs and lows, he appreciates all the more what it would mean defeat their greatest rivals in Croke Park Sunday.

“We started training last September, on the Wednesday night of the GOAL challenge - when the Cork hurlers were getting all the plaudits above in Páirc Uí Rinn - and rightly so,” he commented. “We were down (in Páirc Uí Chaoimh) doing a weights programme. Now, it’s time to deliver and we’re looking forward to it, as every Cork footballer would to a semi-final. Especially against Kerry!

“Any time you play Kerry there’s a great buzz. With Billy, Sean Murphy and myself it’s a case of ‘been there and done that.’ We know what it is to come up against Kerry and to play against them. It does add an extra ingredient.”

Corrigan credits Jack O’Connor with turning around Kerry fortunes so impressively in his first year at the helm.

“You would have to be impressed. I know he was a selector with Kerry before and he’s a fellow with huge experience having operated at colleges level and with the U21’s. He knew what it would take for Kerry to get back on top and to win an All-Ireland and a League title was a huge achievement.’’

For Cork, getting the extra games under their belt after losing the Munster final reaped the benefit the management hoped for - and expected.

Contesting the decider also marked an important step for the development of their team.

“The Munster final gave us that bit more experience in that a lot of the younger members of the squad hadn’t played against Kerry at senior level before - the likes of Kevin McMahon, John Hayes, Fintan Goold and James Masters. What you learn from a game of that importance is that being able to play for the full 70 minutes is the big thing.

“Beating Sligo was a further step along the way, but I think the win against Galway was the big one for us. It showed that when we play well - which we are capable of doing - we are a match for any team in the country.’’

The real benefit gained from the quarter-final win was the manner of victory. Micheál Meehan had scored two snap goals for Galway and there was every prospect of him completing a hat-trick. Remembering how their team finished the half strongly, Corrigan says that the scoring of two late points was to prove highly influential.

“It meant that we went in four points down instead of six. Having said that, in the first half we probably broke even in the middle of the field. But, when we got to grips there, our forward play was there for anybody to see!”

But it wasn’t as if the selectors were surprised by this performance.

“We could see it in patches during the League, especially in the game against Tyrone and, at certain times against Kerry.

“The next step now is to do it over 70 minutes!”

Having to plan without Derek Kavanagh is a big blow but one which must be overcome. It’s especially tough on a fellow like Derek who is so dedicated - one of the most dedicated I have met.

“But we have the opportunity of carrying 30 players in the panel and we’ll see how strong that panel is. While he is a huge loss, we will hopefully pick somebody who will do Derek justice and do Cork justice.”

Corrigan takes pride in the way the team has evolved, starting with Graham Canty being “bedded down” in the full-back berth he himself filled with such distinction in the eighties. “For too long he had been moved around, either at full-back, centre-back or midfield. I have always felt myself that his best position is full-back, where he has played in the International Rules Series and with his home club in Bantry.”

Corrigan is upbeat about their chances of success, putting forward a straightforward scenario.

“If we play well - which we have to do - we will beat Kerry. If we don’t and we’re below par, then we’ll struggle. But I do believe it is all on the day. The work is done. They have trained incredibly hard.”