Seán O'Donoghue: Cork will 'train away like we’re through to the next round'
Sean O'Donoghue of Cork is congratulated by Darragh Stakelum of Tipperary. Photo by Brendan Moran/Sportsfile
Fake it ‘til you make it will be Cork’s approach this week, according to captain Seán O’Donoghue.
Most forecasts envisage them facing the Joe McDonagh Cup winners in a preliminary quarter-final on June 15 but from the outside at least it appears they’re in limbo as a draw in Limerick on Sunday would knock them out.
O’Donoghue insisted they will prepare this week like they’re still going to be in the championship come this Sunday evening. To do anything else would be unprofessional.
“I think we need a lot to go wrong not to go through so we’re going to train away like we’re through to the next round and there will be a good buzz in training, fellas will be hopping and expecting to go through.
“If we’re training hard for the week, it’s like we’re putting it out there that we’re through to the next round so there’s no reason to stop.” After losing to Clare, Cork were resigned to the fact that their fate was out of their hands. At the same time, they delivered on their side of the bargain with a second win on the bounce.
“The target all week was there being no point beating All-Ireland champions then going out losing to Tipp and watching other teams play through the summer while we’re sitting at home,” recalled O’Donoghue. “We had to beat the intensity levels we brought to the Limerick game. We set standards for ourselves and we have to match them every week.
“We were on the wrong end of a couple of decisions against Clare and ended up losing by a couple of points. We didn’t help ourselves either that day. We could easily have beaten Waterford and Clare and then lost to Limerick.
“There was only a puck of a ball in all those games but we were under pressure after the Clare game. We’ve done our part now so hopefully other results will go our way but at least lads can finish with their heads held high.”
Alan Connolly’s chin will certainly be up. Ten goals in his last six games for Cork is a remarkable return and O’Donoghue can speak from experience when he relays how difficult he is to tag.
What’s more, he felt Connolly could have double his three-goal haul against Tipperary.
“There were another couple of balls that another day he would have caught and took on his man and he could have got six goals very easily.
“It’s in his nature to go for a goal. It doesn’t enter his head to go for a point. If he comes up short, it’s usually a free-in because he’s so direct. He’s a nightmare to mark for anyone to mark. He finds a way to wheel away from you and to get a shot off no matter what. I don’t know if you can train what he does, he was just born like that. He’ll be hard to stop for anyone.”
O’Donoghue acknowledged the voluminous Cork following that has roared on the team across the four games. He doesn’t forget those who backed Cork when they were in trouble two years ago.
“The saying we’re so used to hearing is ‘a pat on the back is only six inches from a kick up the arse’. When we were getting kicks up the arse, what matters most was family and genuine supporters having our backs. They knew we were giving it everything and winning these last couple of games is all for them. They’re going to behind us no matter what.
“The same crowd came down to Waterford in 2022 when it was said we hadn’t a hope of winning. We won that game and you’d accept all their support. There was 25,000 to 30,000 supporters (in Thurles on Sunday) and it’s great to do it for them as well.
“Our families, club members, family members of other lads in the team, it’s a huge family because we’re all rowing in the same direction and want the same thing. To see young lads coming on, I remember invading pitches when I was younger and meeting the players we saw on TV. It’s huge for them. The one against Limerick, those memories will last a lifetime for some of them.”
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