Kelly says half line needed to step up

PATRICK KELLY believes it was critical Cork’s half-forward line impacted in Sunday’s All-Ireland quarter-final thumping of Donegal after a below-par showing in last month’s Munster final.

Kelly and half-forward colleagues Pearse O’Neill and Paul Kerrigan endured a difficult afternoon in the provincial decider against a tenacious and intense Limerick half-back trio. Yet they atoned in stunning fashion in Croke Park on Sunday, tearing apart the Donegal defence and racking up a combined total of 1-8.

“We came in for a bit of flak after the Limerick game,” admits Kelly. “We didn’t do much against Limerick to be honest. Limerick’s half backs dominated us and we tried to change that around with a few things on Sunday. They worked out better and we were more of an option for the lads coming out and we were a bit more of a scoring threat.