Cork boss Cuthbert is keen to contextualise win over Kerry

By Peter McNamara

Brian Cuthbert is in just his second season in charge of Cork but the Rebels’ boss appreciates that context is vital in evaluating any 11-point victory in the month of March.

The Leesiders defeated Kerry by that margin at Páirc Uí Rinn in the Allianz NFL Division 1 today.

Cork, courtesy of Colm O’Neill in the second minute and John O’Rourke on six and 16 minutes respectively, had three green flags raised in the first-half and led 3-7 to 2-6 at the interval – Kieran Donaghy and Tommy Walsh providing the goalscoring responses for Eamonn Fitzmaurice’s side.

Yet, Cork stormed to victory in the second half out-scoring Kerry 0-10 to 0-3 to prevail 3-17 to 2-9.

Kerry, though, hit nine second-half wides to Cork’s three and had 13 overall to the Leesiders’ six.

Furthermore, we all know what happened in the Munster final last year after Cork had also hammered Kerry in the league.

With those counter-points to Cork’s excellence in mind, Cuthbert was keen to contextualise their triumph.

“Obviously, we are very happy with the result,” Cuthbert said. “Being totally honest about it though, our focus was entirely on getting two points.

“You can see the way the division is going, it is very difficult to get to that eight-, 10-point mark so today was about getting two points.

“History, too, decrees that nobody gets carried away. I think people enjoyed watching the game today, certainly from a Cork point of view.

“It was a good performance with a lot of things going well for us but it is only March and around this time 12 months ago we were in a similar position so we will just focus now on the next game and that is Tyrone.”

Rightfully, Cuthbert was at pains to stress he was not playing down the significance of the 11-point success for the sake of it, either.

“It is not a case of playing this down, the reality is it was all about getting two points and moving on to the next game.

“The reality is if we get to meet Kerry again, be it in the league or Munster final, it is going to be completely different.

“We are, of course, happy with the performance and the scoreline but you just have to be realistic as well.

“Kerry are going home tonight (on the back of a loss) but could get another two points next week and be right back in the hunt again.

“Losing the Munster final last year was obviously disappointing, hand on heart and we learned huge amounts from it but winning here today, there is no retribution over last year,” Cuthbert stated.

Additionally, it was not as if Cork totally dominated the second half, as illustrated in the wides counts and Cuthbert also pointed to the fact Fitzmaurice will have their marquee names back from injury if the sides do go on to meet again.

“You also have to take into account that the ‘Gooch’, James O’Donoghue and others, all of the other players Kerry have, will be back and if we are to meet them again it would be a completely different game then.

“So today was all about getting a response after last week, posting two points on the board and we are delighted with the team,” he added.