Cleary glad Cork are able to go toe-to-toe with top teams for full game but rues wides

The Rebels lost narrowly to Kerry on Saturday. 

HUDDLE: John Cleary and some of his backroom on Saturday. Picture: INPHO/Ryan Byrne

A target of Cork’s coming into the 2023 season was to live with those at the top of the football ladder for the full 70 minutes. Irrespective of the outcome, they wanted to be able to last the pace and go the distance.

Last summer, you see, Cork’s containment approach had seen them competitive for around 50 minutes against Kerry and Dublin in the Munster semi-final and All-Ireland quarter-final respectively. But they faded so badly on both occasions. Lost to Kerry by 12 and Dublin by 11.