McConville: Cork can put on another show but they can't win
Oisín McConville is certain Cork’s Super 8 interest will end next Saturday evening against Tyrone at Croke Park, even if he has been impressed with the renaissance of Ronan McCarthy’s side.
Speaking on the Irish Examiner GAA Championship Podcast, McConville said: “They can absolutely go up there and give a good account of themselves. But I can't see how they can win it.
“I just think Tyrone are the masters of frustrating teams, especially teams like Cork, who are coming off the back of positive performances. This is such a nice game for Tyrone.”
A defeat by Tyrone, coupled with a win for Dublin over Roscommon, would knock Cork out of All-Ireland semi-final contention. And the former Armagh All-Ireland winner questions whether Cork have the experience and knowhow to counter what Tyrone will throw at them.
He wonders too why Cork have taken so long to find their current style of play under McCarthy.
“I’ve two questions on Cork. One is, why only now? The other is; have they the nuance, when they go to Tyrone, faced with a different picture in front of them, to change things up enough?"
“I hope that the one thing Cork do is push and press. If they push and press they have some semblance of an opportunity.
“But you also have to mirror what Tyrone do, a little bit, even though that doesn't suit Cork.”
McConville says Cork must be particularly mindful of the Tyrone counter-attack.
“Tyrone have that knack and ability of picking teams off. A lot of it is very contrived. Apart from (Cathal) McShane, a lot of it is set plays. From Morgan to Cavanagh to Donnelly to one more forward to a score or to getting a free-kick, to setting it down, to organisation.
“You can’t afford to give the ball away in the final third, you can't afford to drop the ball short. You have to be efficient. Cork can get at them with that bit of pace straight down the middle of their defence. That’s exactly what Donegal did. The template is there.
“But Tyrone are a good bit more defensive now than they were against Donegal. You just have to push and press a little bit and put them under pressure. Let Tyrone doubt themselves, because Tyrone are by no means the team people think they are."
Beaten All-Ireland finalists last year, Tyrone seemed to have developed a more attacking style until the Ulster Championship defeat by Donegal.
Mickey Harte has overseen a return to basic principles since that setback, but McConville questions if the team is really any closer to contending at the latter stage of the championship.
“Tyrone did a ruthlessly efficient job on Roscommon. But they still haven’t really proved anything to me since the Donegal game. I thought they would get back on track and get back to this stage.
“I think they'll beat Cork, but I think we could see Tyrone get back to a semi-final and not really know where they are. And depending on who they meet they could struggle."
“I still think those lingering doubts are there. If you shut down Petey Harte, you shut down Mattie Donnelly, and maybe McShane. Tyrone are in real bother.
“I understand that's an ask but it’s been done before and has been done on a fairly consistent basis. Petey Harte has been completely nullified in some of the big games and that's when Tyrone have started to struggle.”
The Irish Examiner GAA Podcast is brought to you in association with Renault, official car partner of the GAA. Listen on iTunes, Soundcloud or irishexaminer.com/podcast
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