Cahalane says Cork preparations geared towards Killarney date

The noises coming from the Cork camp immediately after Sunday’s Munster SFC semi-final win were of the usual kind.

Since time immemorial, the mantra is that what was good against any of the other four Munster counties won’t do against Kerry. Former Cork defender Niall Cahalane believes, however, that the tailoring of preparations ensures a greater level of performance will be shown in the provincial decider on July 7.

“When Cork and Kerry are on opposite sides of the draw, you’d have to imagine that the preparations are geared towards a final, and just making sure that they have enough done to get over the other teams,” he said.

“Cork are in the same position as Kerry were after they beat Waterford, you’d wonder if they’re being pulverised in training to just enough of a degree to get them over the semi-final.

“The game in Ennis didn’t have a lot of shape to it, Cork went up by seven points but then Clare got a couple back and there were a few soft frees given against Cork which I don’t think you’d see in Killarney on Munster final day.

“I wouldn’t expect Sunday to have any bearing in three weeks’ time.”

With the place in the final assured, the Castlehaven man asserts it will be in-house games which will decide the starting 15 against Kerry.

“It’s hard to read too much into big wins like Cork and Kerry have had,” he said.

“Colm Cooper was excellent at centre-forward for Kerry against Tipperary and Waterford, but will he have that kind of freedom against Cork? If he does then we’re in trouble.

“James Loughrey has settled well in the Cork defence. Normally it takes a while for a player to do that, but he has had two very respectable outings, there’s no doubt about that.

“Again, they’ve been wins against teams who won’t be in the last eight or the last four, and that’s the kind of calibre of team Cork will want to be playing.

“The next game will be a level up and we’ll know more about the teams then. Can we judge them on the previous matches? No, I’d imagine that they’ve had better A versus B games.”