The McCarthy mantra: Let’s keep things steady here

Such has been their dreadful inconsistency in recent years, any analysis of the Cork footballers tends to yo-yo from one extreme to the other.

Performances continue to be up and down since Ronan McCarthy assumed control, but the same cannot be said of his own public utterances. No triumph has been followed by gushing praise, no setback or no-show has given way to a tongue-lashing.

Instead McCarthy is taking a more measured approach, one that has served him well in recent months.