Corrigan: Louth trip the best Cork could have hoped for

Two-time Cork All-Star Colman Corrigan urged the county's footballers to grasp the preliminary quarter-final opportunity

MEETING AGAIN: Mark Cronin of Cork is tackled by Ryan Burns of Louth during the Allianz Football League Division 2 match between the sides in Ardee. Photo by Ben McShane/Sportsfile

The Cork footballers got the “best draw they could have possibly hoped for”.

That’s the view of two-time Cork All-Star Colman Corrigan who believes facing Louth in this weekend’s All-Ireland preliminary quarter-final was the “better end” of a draw that also included potential trips to Castlebar and Salthill.

“If you were looking at Mayo in Castlebar, that would have been a ridiculously tough gig. Galway, in Salthill, was the other alternative. Galway, a month ago, were playing poorly, but are after improving big time in the last month and they would have been a tough, tough gig in Pearse Stadium.

“So while Louth are going to be very, very difficult, it is the best draw you could have possibly hoped for,” said former Cork full-back Corrigan.

Two-time All-Star Colman Corrigan. Picture Dan Linehan

This weekend’s clash will be the counties’ fifth of the past two years. Cork were victorious in both the 2022 Round 1 qualifier at Páirc Uí Chaoimh and 2023 Sam Maguire group opener at Navan.

On the league front, Louth took maximum points from their Division 2 encounters this spring and last. The latter two fixtures, played in Ardee, saw Cork fail to hold onto winning positions.

Where Cork are chasing a third consecutive All-Ireland quarter-final appearance, Louth have never reached the last eight of the championship since the introduction of the backdoor 23 years ago.

“You now have to go and take advantage of the draw you got. If I were Cork, I would really go for it. If Louth get on top of you above there, it is going to be a very difficult assignment. So I'd go after Louth from the throw-in.

“They've played them four times now the last two years, it is two apiece, and so it is not going to be easy. You are going to have to be at your best and you are going to have to get your leaders, whoever they are on the team, to lead. Brian Hurley was a big loss to Cork last Saturday. He is one of the fellas that leads the line.

“Management will be led by the medical people with regard to Brian’s involvement this weekend. He would be one of the leaders, he would have helped the game-management on Saturday, whether that was by kicking a point or slowing the game down. He was a big loss.” 

Reflecting on Saturday’s four-point defeat to Tyrone, which cost Cork direct progress to the quarter-finals, two-time All-Ireland winner Corrigan lamented the team's inability to deal more coherently with a third quarter when the tide went out.

“You are always going to be in a difficult position for five or 10 minutes. That is where you are going to win or lose, in how you manage that period.

“The guys have to stand up and say, we either slow the game down or we go for it, but absolutely they are going to have to manage that period better because it is going to happen. Look at Dublin going behind late on against Mayo, they did not panic. That is what we have to learn not to do, we have to learn not to panic. We tend to panic and then mistakes come from that.

“Cork would be disappointed with how they finished the game on Saturday. Regardless of who they drew this weekend, they would want to play better for themselves. They've got the better end of the draw but they still have to win it.” 

Corrigan was speaking prior to confirmation of the venue for Cork-Louth, but doesn’t expect Ger Brennan’s side to nominate Páirc Tailteann in Navan given that is where Cork edged them 12 months ago.