Fans warned to arrive early for replay
County Board PRO Ger Lane insisted the match will commence at 2pm to facilitate the live television coverage on RTÉ and that there will be no repeat of the chaos that forced the delay to throw-in when the sides clashed at Páirc Ui Chaoimh 12 months ago.
In a bid to entice people to the ground early, a senior challenge between Cork and Offaly takes place at 12pm, as both sides’ preparations for upcoming provincial semi-final ties intensifies. It was felt that the presence of the Cork senior hurlers had a better chance of luring patrons rather than the curtain-raiser of the Munster JFC final between Kerry and Limerick, which was originally mooted.
“We’re encouraging the crowd to come early on Sunday”, said Lane. “We have an attractive curtain-raiser and we see this as a perfect way of attracting the crowd to get into the ground early. We had no curtain-raiser last year and it caused serious problems to the throw-in. We were conscious this year of rectifying that and providing a curtain-raiser for people.
“But the match will start at 2pm next Sunday. Because it’s live on TV, there will be no delay to the starting time. If people aren’t inside the barriers before 1pm, then we can’t guarantee entry into Páirc Ui Chaoimh for the match. It’s a health and safety issue, we don’t want any repeat of last year.
“The tickets seem to be selling very well at the moment, there is a great demand for them. All the details are on the Cork GAA website, www.gaacork.ie about the various locations to purchase tickets for the game.”
Meanwhile, former Cork All-Ireland winner Tony Davis believes the key to Sunday’s replay is how much quality possession is fed to Kerry dangerman Kieran Donaghy at full-forward. Donaghy’s influence was subdued in last Sunday’s drawn game, largely due to the control Cork exerted around the middle of the park.
Debutant Aidan Walsh and Alan O’Connor excelled in this regard, and Davis feels a repeat of that dominance would be critical.
“The big thing for Kerry is they’ll have to find some way to supplying ball to Donaghy. He’s the key to everything and Cork definitely limited the supply into him last Sunday. They won the midfield, where I thought Aidan and Alan did exceptionally well. People focused on the goal chances they missed but scoring by them is supplementary to their main job, handled ball, breaking it and controlling midfield.
“They did that brilliantly. Anthony Maher did well coming in and he’s a fine footballer, but it’s a big ask for him to start dominating senior intercounty matches.”
Davis reckons that attack is the area where Cork need to hone in most on improvements. “The last day, Daniel Goulding, Donncha O’Connor and Pearse O’Neill were all unusually quiet. The main threat really was Paul Kerrigan, who has benefitted this year from the move to corner-forward and to score three points off the best man-marker in the country in Marc O’Sé was a great achievement for the Nemo man.
“Colm O’Neill scored a super point when he came in and, given some of the frees Cork are missing, you’d wonder why Colm isn’t starting as he’s a very good free-taker. But, overall, Cork’s forwards need to up their game.
“I still fancy Cork to win though as having had a first championship game in six weeks is a massive benefit. You must remember as well they were away to the best team of the last few years last Sunday. Next Sunday they’re back at home and if they take the goal chances that come their way, they can progress.”
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