Deegan: We must stop the Cork rot

As GAA trends go it’s been a curious one. When the dejection at losing the 2010 All-Ireland final had dissipated, Down could at least reflect that they were not far from the top with one point separating themselves and Cork at the final whistle.

Yet that wafer-thin margin has expanded in recent meetings. Last year Cork dispatched Down with ease by 11 points in the league, their championship meeting last summer was settled by a 12-point victory for Cork and when the teams met in February, Cork pummelled their opponents to triumph by 13 points.

How has it come to this? The day the rot started for Down against Cork sides — the 2009 All-Ireland U21 final — they were clearly hit by bad fortune as the Rebel youngsters pounced for an injury-time winning goal. Injuries have been a factor on occasions, most explicitly in how strapped their defensive resources were for the tie in Páirc Uí Chaoimh two months ago. Even travel arrangements have been blamed for their demise.

Earlier this year their talismanic attacker Brendan Coulter spoke about how he felt their 2011 league defeat could be attributed partly to their decision to journey down on the day of the game. Thus in February they altered their preparations to travel to Cork the day before the match yet it failed to alter the outcome. Tomorrow the sides renew acquaintances in Croke Park with the prize of a league final at stake. For Down the goal is to compete and halt the run of defeats.

“It’s difficult to pinpoint why these defeats have happened,” admits former Down All-Ireland winner Conor Deegan. “There is no doubt that Cork are physically a very imposing side and Down clearly are not at that level. Down’s football has been too slow and predictable as well against them. But I feel that it’ll suit them playing in Croke Park tomorrow on a pitch where there is more space and width rather than travelling down to Cork. They’ll also be in a better position now than when they lost to Cork a couple of months ago.

“There’s been a couple of very significant wins against Mayo in Castlebar and Dublin in Newry to get some momentum going. It’s been a huge turnaround really. I believe that James (McCartan) will be really determined to end these heavy defeats to Cork. But I don’t think they’ll be happy with just performing. Down will want to win this game. I played in the last Division 1 league final Down were in back in 1990 and that’s 22 years ago. Down are a county that could really do with a league title.”

If all those defeats provided setbacks, Down were also hit hard when they bid farewell to one of their most talented products last winter as Marty Clarke returned to an AFL career. Yet in a perverse way, Deegan feels the loss of the An Ríocht star could benefit the rest of the side.

“Marty is certainly a special talent but when he was there, Down’s ploy was to play a lot of their attacks through him. Teams like Cork figured that out by man-marking him. Now in his absence, other guys have to develop their games, stand up and take leadership. Down are harder to figure out now. Ambrose Rogers is also back fit after losing nearly three years of his career to injuries. That’s a huge help.”

For all that optimism, Deegan still recognises the scale of the challenge facing Down tomorrow but has found that their inconsistent form this season has made it confusing to determine Cork’s current state.

“I think many Gaelic Football fans have sat back and wondered about that conundrum. We don’t know what is the true Cork team and more is expected of them. They have a lot of fine footballers, particularly in their attack, that we could see more from. Putting Aidan Walsh in full-forward is a good move I feel as it’s going to make them more unpredictable. I think they’ve been very rigid and I’d love to see them throw off the shackles to really go for it. But despite all that I think they’ll be in the mix for the All-Ireland title with Kerry and Dublin by the end of this season.”