Cork boss Peadar Healy continues to mix and match
A small crowd turned up, while the wind and rain affected the quality of football. Credit to both teams though, they toughed it out in difficult conditions, and for Cork manager Peadar Healy it was a useful workout ahead of the McGrath Cup final against Clare in Mallow on Friday night.
“We are preparing for the National League but our immediate concern is Clare on Friday night and giving players we haven’t seen game time. We will bring in a few more again on Friday night and we will continue to use the players we brought in for the start of the McGrath Cup and give them more game time.
“This was good preparation. Giving players game time, that is a big thing for us. It is great to see the younger players in there too. They want to wear the Cork jersey. You saw the effort. It is very pleasing to see that especially as the conditions were atrocious. There are a few more players I am trying to get in and get a good look at as well.
“The door will always be open. Anyone who will be showing form with their clubs, we will be more than willing to bring them in and see what they can do.”
While a largely experimental exercise again, Cork lined out as selected but there were adjustments to the All-Stars. With the first round of the NFL at home to Mayo fast approaching, yesterday saw the return of the likes of Sean Kiely, Eoin Cadogan, Colm O’Neill and Paul Kerrigan.
“They are good and raring to go. Ruairi Deane (introduced as a second-half sub) – he is fine too. He is playing with UL so we have to manage his game time.”
It was O’Neill’s penalty on the quarter hour mark after a foul on Stephen Hickey that provided the platform for Cork’s victory. A minute later Dan MacEoin added a second goal following a free-flowing move involving Brian Coughlan and Brian Hurley.
In two 25 minutes halves, on the call of half-time All Stars full forward Peter Kelleher got a hand to a Kerrigan delivery to leave the score 2-1 to 1-2.
Turning to play with the elements Cork stretched their lead through MacEoin and Hurley white flags. The All Stars remained competitive mainly through Daniel Goulding points but when O’Neill finished a third goal to the net after being put through by Killian O’Hanlon and Coughlan, it sealed the outcome five minutes from time.
C O’Neill (2-1, 1-0 pen), D MacEoin (1-1), B Hurley and S Hickey (0-2 each).
P Kelleher (1-0), D Goulding (0-3, two frees), K Davis (0-2), A O’Sullivan (0-1).
B O’Connell; C O’Driscoll, E Cadogan, L Harrington; J Davis, B O’Driscoll, B Daly; I Maguire, K O’Hanlon; S Hickey, B Coughlan, K O’Driscoll; D MacEoin, C O’Neill, B Hurley.
R Price for B O’Connell (half-time), S Kiely for K O’Driscoll (30).
M A Martin; T Clancy, A O’Reilly, C Hayes; M Collins (O’Donovan Rossa), J Loughrey, C O’Brien; D Niblock, M Collins (Castlehaven); A O’Sullivan, L Connolly, K Davis; D Goulding, P Kelleher, P Kerrigan.
K O’Halloran for M A Martin (half-time), R Deane for J Loughrey (half-time).
Michael Collins (Clonakilty).
