With more options settled Rebels can finish off the job

SO WHO learned more from last Sunday’s division of 30 points in Killarney? And is there any more to learn after 20 Championship meetings between Cork and Kerry since 2000?

Both coaches, Conor Counihan and Jack O’Connor, have toyed this week with the idea of throwing something different at their great rivals for tomorrow’s Munster SFC semi-final replay in Páirc Uí Chaoimh (2pm). Kerry may start Anthony Maher, Cork might try Colm O’Neill. But the side with more options in this regard (Cork) have less reasons to do so. The reigning Munster champions did little wrong in Fitzgerald Stadium; the only deviation from the script was in their finishing. It wasn’t even that Cork missed that many chances in the drawn game – seven wides in total – but they missed big chances. Had Kerry been presented with the same openings, there’s a strong sense they’d have won the semi-final with some ease.

However, Ciaran Sheehan will prosper a lot more from the experience of last week than he will being dropped for the replay; DanielGoulding won’t be as quiet again and Aidan Walsh will choose his options more carefully.