Paul Kerrigan embraces new role as Cork focused for Clare battle

Paul Kerrigan spent much of the league getting used to a new role with the Cork footballers.

From first-team regular to regular off the bench, Kerrigan started just three league games, was introduced in the remaining six and failed to secure selection in either the league semi or final.

Manager Brian Cuthbert will announce the Cork team to face Clare in Sunday’s Munster semi-final this evening and for the first time in quite a while, Kerrigan can’t be considered a certainty in the Rebel attack.

Mark Collins, Colm O’Neill and Brian Hurley are expected to nab the three inside spots so it is along the 40 where the Nemo Rangers man will hope to make the cut, the centre-forward berth up for grabs in the absence of the injured John O’Rourke.

The 28-year-old hit four points for Nemo in their club championship opener last month and is optimistic he’s done enough to force his way into Cuthbert’s starting 15.

“There has been a clean slate since the league,” notes Kerrigan.

“I know people say pre-season is the hardest part of the year, but I always find the period between league and championship the hardest.

“The ground firms up and everyone is that bit sharper. I’d be hopeful enough of making the team but you don’t know.

“I know we are outsiders and underdogs for the championship, but just look at the competition we have for places and how hard it is to get into that team. The competition is ferocious.

“We had a couple of internal games which helped fellas, it allowed them to show a bit of hunger and show what they can do.

“It might have pushed a couple of fellas into the team that weren’t there during the league. I would be delighted if I do make it in.”

Despite the crushing 1-21 to 2-7 league final defeat to Dublin, Kerrigan insists Cork are better primed for an extended championship run in the second year of Brian Cuthbert’s reign.

“Last year, we allowed the Dublin league semi-final defeat to affect our season. It was a big learning curve as we had a new management and essentially a new team.

“We were very determined from the start of this year that irrespective of how the league panned out, that once it was over that was it, it was done and dusted as far as we were concerned.

“We are in a better place overall than where we were this time last year. I know the league final doesn’t show that. It is up to management and players now to take responsibility and put the league firmly behind us.

“Someone said to me after the league final that if we lost to Donegal in the semi-final it would have been looked at as a fairly positive league. There is a fine line. We have to live and learn.”

While accepting Sunday’s fixture is a no-win situation, he believes Cork will benefit thereafter from the lack of expectation surrounding the group.

“If we beat Clare by 10 points, that won’t be seen as enough. If we just scrape past them, we will be further written off going down to Killarney.

“The wheel has turned full circle for us. We were built up as big favourites last year in Munster, even though we had a relatively new and young team.

“I’d say that was music to Kerry’s ears. They didn’t make the league semis, travelled under the radar and gave us a big beating.

“We will of course be underdogs if we make it to the Munster final and will probably be underdogs for every other game we play this summer.

“Knowing the character in the team, the underdog tag would suit us if we were to get down to Killarney.”

Kerrigan added: “We haven’t won a big championship game since beating Kerry in the 2012 Munster semi-final. That is something that needs to be put right.

“It is important for us to perform well on Sunday. When we don’t perform, you saw what can happen.”