Rebel reserves still calling shots

GREATER composure in front of goal ensured Cork set up a first meeting of the season with Kerry as they accounted for their hosts in the McGrath Cup at the Gaelic Grounds yesterday.

The largely experimental side seized control with two first-half goals through Fiachra Lynch and Kevin MacMahon, while second-half Limerick pressure was extinguished when Denis O’Sullivan found the net.

There were many positives to be taken from this by Cork manager Conor Counihan on his return from the team holiday in South Africa.

The manager said little in the aftermath other than confirming that the full squad will resume training tomorrow night and that there have been no other retirements apart from Derek Kavanagh.

Selector Terry O’Neill was happy with the outcome given the strength of the Limerick team, which included John Galvin, Stephen Kelly, Johnny McCarthy and Ian Ryan.

“We were pleased, considering we were coming up here and conceding home advantage,” he said.

“Limerick had seven or eight of their best team and we had three of our panel from last year, and Donncha O’Connor came on towards the end.

“Every game that these guys play and win, it’s giving them that bit more exposure, which is what we entered the competition for. We were hoping to get two or three games and we have that now. You can see by the effort given that they all want to play.”

Cork were able to call upon Ger Spillane, Eoin Cotter and Fiachra Lynch. Of this trio, Lynch stood out, scoring 1-3 in the first half as the visitors sought to isolate him close to goal, where he caused Barry Fitzpatrick problems.

His goal on 18 minutes, after he won a Jason Sexton delivery, made it 1-3 to 0-2 before the second green flag by Kevin MacMahon seven minutes later put seven between the teams, 2-4 to 0-3.

The Carbery Rangers player profited from a fine pass by Alan O’Connor and when Lynch escaped the shackles of new marker McCarthy, Cork were rampant. Points by Fitzpatrick and Ryan – Limerick’s most potent threat – left six in it at the break, with the home side facing an uphill struggle.

They did briefly cut the gap to three points after three scores in-a-row, two by Ryan and one from John Cooke, early in the second half before O’Sullivan’s goal killed any hopes of a comeback.

The Ballinscarthy wing-back’s performance, tight in defence and scoring 1-1 at the other end, improved his standing after a good game against WIT and O’Neill feels he has a future in a red jersey.

“I’ve known Denis since he was minor,” he said.

“He has natural ability as well, great stamina, he has come back well after having two cruciate operations.

“It’s going to take him maybe another 12 months but if he commits himself to the level that’s expected and required of this standard, he has great potential.”

Another to impress in the second half for Cork was sub Mark Cronin. He landed three points in five minutes after his introduction, and O’Neill was also happy with how he had taken to the step up to inter-county level.

“I’d know him from seeing him with Gabriel Rangers when they won the west Cork junior last year and I’ll say straight up that they wouldn’t have won it without him.

“They scored an average of around 1-10 and he was scoring 1-6, 1-7 in nearly every match. If a guy can do that, you must try and expose him at a higher level to see what he can do.

“We’ve seen over the last two Sundays that he’s a very natural footballer.”

Scorers for Cork: F Lynch 1-3; D O’Sullivan; K MacMahon 1-1 each; M Cronin 0-3, D Goold, AJ O’Connor, J Sexton 0-1 each.

Scorers for Limerick: I Ryan 0-7 (0-5f); L Costello 0-2, J Cooke, B Fitzpatrick, D Kelly 0-1 each.

CORK: D Lordan; B Shanahan, G Spillane, E Cotter; D O’Sullivan, R O’Sullivan, AJ O’Connor; A O’Connor, E Keane; T O’Neill, D Goold, K MacMahon; J Sexton, F Lynch, C O’Driscoll.

Subs: M Cronin for Sexton (51), D O’Connor for Keane (54), M Herlihy for O’Driscoll (60), D O’Donovan for MacMahon (65), M Dilworth for Goold (68).

LIMERICK: C Wallace; J McCarthy, B Fitzpatrick (0-1), M Sheehan; M McCormack, S Gallagher, P Ranahan; E Joy, J Galvin; J Mullane, S Kelly, D McCarthy; L Costello (0-2), J Cooke (0-1), I Ryan (0-7, 0-5f).

Subs: J Hoare for McCormack (44), D Kelly (0-1) for D McCarthy (57), E Fitzgibbon for Sheehan (62), P Kinnerk for Cooke (64), P Ahern for Kinnerick (68, injured).

Referee: M Condon (Waterford).