Cleary wants big Cork support in Tullamore to lift footballers against Tyrone

A general view of Pairc Ui Rinn after the All-Ireland SFC game between Cork and Donegal. Picture: ©INPHO/Nick Elliott

John Cleary feels a vocal Cork crowd could provide the decisive push as his footballers bid to book their place in the All-Ireland quarter-finals.

Terrace tickets went on sale Monday for the Tullamore double-header, which will throw in with the footballers’ clash with Tyrone at 3pm before the hurlers take on Offaly in their preliminary quarter-final at 5.15pm.

With tickets split between three counties, a Cork GAA statement noted their quota for the 7,000-capacity stand would only be sufficient to cover player allocations, board delegates, and All-Ireland senior medal holders.

There will be no club allocation, they added, with all terrace tickets for this fixture going on general sale, per national GAA policy. They are priced at €25, with OAP and student tickets available for €20 and under-16s for €5.

While the hurlers have sold out Páirc Uí Chaoimh and Semple Stadium, the footballers are building their own momentum with a big-name scalp of Donegal in front of 7,251 fans at Páirc Uí Rinn.

Cleary believes those supporters made a vital contribution and can carry that feelgood factor into this weekend.

“Cork supporters will travel in big numbers because of the double-header. It’s a chance to see the two teams at this time of the year, in summertime, in action in the one venue.

“It was a huge lift to us coming down the home straight the last day, particularly going into injury time. Even the lads were commenting on it.

“The crowd really got behind them and it could’ve been the catalyst that got us over the line, the crowd getting behind us going into injury time.” 

The post-match video analysis session helped to keep Cleary’s troops grounded after the win.

“There was a great buzz for a day or two and then we looked back on the game on the Tuesday night and we realised there were some things that were good and some things that weren’t so good.

“Basically, what we’ve been trying to do now in the last week is focus on the things that didn’t go right.

“We went long periods of that game without getting a score, which was a concern. But then we parked that fairly quickly and Tyrone has been the big focus for the last week and a half. That’s all we’ve been looking at now.

“When the season is over again, we can look back at that Donegal match but two days after it, that was put on the back burner and it’s looking forward we are now.” 

Luke Fahy is the only player ruled out for the Tyrone test due to a hamstring injury.

“We’re ok, no change from the last day. A few bumps and bruises but hopefully we’ll have a full bill of health by the weekend,” said Cleary.

“Luke Fahy is a couple of weeks away at least so he’s the one that’s out.”