Tony Leen: Two steps forward means Cork bound into Croke Park

If manager John Cleary finishes this campaign by leading the natives beyond the scepticism, he will have moved the perennial Cork football debate over to the plus column

ACTION MAN: Cork's Brian O'Driscoll is challenged by Enda Smith and David Murray of Roscommon at Pairc Ui Chaoimh. 

THIS one may be too nuanced for the data analysts. There are victories, not to mention their cause and effect, that don’t fold into a file. 

By the 53rd minute of Saturday’s play-off to reach an All-Ireland quarter-final, Cork had shaken off a constipated first half to take a one-point lead over Roscommon. The decisive goal was on its way but before it, Steven Sherlock was wide (apparently) with a kickable free and Chris Og Jones fumbled a ball over the endline. Not everyone in a Pairc Ui Chaoimh a crowd of 14,294 was convinced the hosts had the nous or poise to to scalp a second Division 1 side in a week. Too many episodes of misplaced trust has taken care of that.