Cubby’s Rebel reign off to flyer
Brian Cuthbert began life as Cork senior football manager, and the much-anticipated black card system also took a bow, though referee Padraig O’Sullivan didn’t employ the new procedure until late on.
The new boss first, though. He saw his side hit 3-22 over the 70 minutes and conceded it wasn’t a severe test.
“You couldn’t say we learned a whole pile,” said Cuthbert.
“We’re together a while but until the matches start you can’t put a shape on what you’re trying to do. Some things we did today, particularly in the first half, were good, some weren’t but that’s the nature of the beast.
“We had 21 players today, but we’re minus 20 players. There are 14 with the colleges, four injured and two or three away. So we’re minus 20 again next week.”
In the game itself LIT, who play in the Trench Cup, the second tier of colleges competition, were under serious pressure against a more imposing home side throughout. Cork had the aid of a stiff breeze in the first period and kept the students pinned down in their own half: after 10 minutes the hosts had six points on the board – as well as four wides — and when a John Hayes delivery caused confusion in the LIT goalmouth, Andrew O’Sullivan netted from close range.
The contest was as good as over, with the scoreline 1-6 to no score and three-quarters of the game left to play. Cork spent the rest of the half tattooing points over the bar — and amassing a baker’s dozen wides to boot.
At the break it was 1-15 to 0-0, and the closest LIT had come to a score was a fine save by Ryan Price after centre-forward Sean Hayes made a rare foray upfield for the students on 31 minutes.
The Limerick college had a Tony McMahon point on the resumption, and with Sean Hayes a focal point at full-forward they kept the scoreboard ticking over, though Cork were also able to hit points into the breeze at the other end. They also added late goals, a neat finish by Kevin Crowley and a good penalty from John Hayes.
With minutes remaining first Micheal Ó Laoghaire of Cork and then Con Prendeville of LIT received black cards and walked, our first sight of the new dispensation. It hadn’t been much of a contest, which probably accounted for the lack of cynical fouling which required punishment.
“Next week it’s UCC and that’ll be more competitive and ask more questions of our guys,” said Cuthbert. “Which is what we want. We’re three weeks away from the national league and if three or four of these guys put their hands up, then they’re in a better place to start. We’re absolutely open in terms of the panel and nobody has an entitlement to be handed a league jersey.”
Scorers for Cork: J. Hayes 1-4 (1-0 p); A. O’Sullivan 1-2; D. Goulding 0-4 (0-2 fs); D. O’Connor 0-4, K. Crowley 1-0; M. Sugrue, K. O’Driscoll 0-2 each; S. Murphy, C. O’Driscoll, F. Goold and A. Walsh 0-1 each.
Scorers for LIT: J. Hayes 0-2; C. Talty (f), P. Dalton, D. Cleary, E.
O’Neill and T. McMahon 0-1 each.
CORK: R. Price; J. McLoughlin, E. Cadogan, N. Galvin; J. Loughrey, A. Sheehan, K. O’Driscoll; A. Walsh, F. Goold; C. O’Driscoll, M. Sugrue, A. O’Sullivan; D. Goulding, D. O’Connor, J. Hayes.
Subs: K. O’Halloran for Price, S. Murphy for Loughrey, M. Ó Laoghaire for Walsh (all HT); K. Crowley for Goold, 45; C. Lyons for Sheehan, 47; C. O’Connor for D. O’Connor, 58.
LIMERICK IT: J. Brudair (Limerick); C. Prendeville (Clare), J. Collins (Galway), J. McDonnell (Cork); D. Masterson (Clare), A. Butler (Mayo), P. Dalton (Tipperary); S. Sherry (Monaghan), C. Talty (Clare); D. Cleary (Clare), S. Hayes (Clare), E. O’Neill (Kildare); P. O’Sullivan (Kerry), K. O’Driscoll (Kerry), A. Downes (Clare).
Subs: T. McMahon (Limerick) for Sherry, HT; S. Ryan (Clare) for Downes, 44; K. McDonagh (Galway) for O’Sullivan, 51; C. Breathnach (Galway) for O’Driscoll, 60.
Referee: Padraig O’Sullivan (Kerry).
