Cork and Clare must run for their lives, says Shanahan

By Michael Moynihan

Waterford icon Dan Shanahan sees similarities between this weekend’s two All-Ireland semi-finals, with two physically strong teams taking on sides who’d prefer a running game.

“Take Cork and Limerick tomorrow — Limerick, though they’re the less experienced team, have a lot of physical strength, and Cork are a running team, they’re not built for a physical battle.

“That said, Limerick have size everywhere but in their full-back line, which might suit Cork if they threw Seamus Harnedy in there, maybe. Have Cork the depth on the bench that Limerick have, though?

“Have Clare? We know Galway have that strength in depth, because they showed it last year. They have men to bring on in the last quarter when the game is stretched.”

Shanahan sees the placement of Clare’s in-form forward as crucial to today’s semi-final.

“The question for Clare is whether you should start their best forward, John Conlon, on Galway’s best back this year so far, Daithí Burke. It might suit Clare better to throw Shane O’Donnell in to move Burke around and to get Conlon outfield to win puck-outs, rather than falling into Galway’s trap.

“The way Conlon is playing, you need to get him on the ball. He’s almost impossible to mark, so do you really want him coming up against the most in-form defender of the year?”

Those are the thought processes of all four management teams this weekend.

“You’re always trying to second-guess what the other management team are going to do,” says Shanahan.

“When we played Limerick in the Munster championship we knew Aaron Gillane was out suspended, so we presumed Shane Dowling would start for the frees.

“Fair enough. You’re working out then who best to pick him up, so there’s a knock-on effect for your team, you’re arranging your lads accordingly.

“Then there are the tactics they’ll use, you’re trying to plan to counteract those. Clare come deep, Cork move Daniel Kearney, Galway use their physicality.

“It’s tricky because they’re all hard to counteract. It goes both ways, of course — with Waterford, the opposition would try to work out what we were going to do, playing one or two extra at the back.

“This weekend, I think Clare will have to concentrate on moving the ball quick against Galway because of Galway’s strength: it suits them better to slow it down and have a physical contest.

“The key is to take your opportunities. That sounds like common sense, but the good teams will ram home the advantage when they get the upper hand.

“Galway are the most experienced team left in it and we’ve seen this year that they’ll punish the opposition when they get the chance — that’s why they’re All-Ireland champions.

“What are the other three teams like when it comes to taking their opportunities? We’ll find out soon enough.”