Cork and Kerry GAA previews: Postponements only strengthen Imokilly's hand
Imokilly's Sean Desmond and Fr. O'Neill's Mike Millerick tussle for the sliotar during the Cork Premier SHC quarter-final. Pic: Eddie O'Hare
It cannot be overstated the importance of one-third of the Imokilly team - John Cronin, Diarmuid Healy, Daire O’Leary, Adam Murphy, and Sean Desmond - not having to play with their clubs in the 24 hours before tomorrow’s semi-final, as was initially the case. For all their talent, the harsh reality is that Imokilly haven’t taken down an outfit of note since the last of their three-in-a-row in 2019.
On the Blackrock side, three goals in each of their four outings to date. Where they hurt greatest couldn’t be more obvious. Alan Connolly and Fionn Coleman are really in the groove, Tadhg Deasy shook the net in his first appearance of the campaign two weeks ago, and if Robbie Cotter can get back to the level he was at against the Barrs on the opening night, the Rockies can deliver the outcome few are predicting.
Imokilly
Sars’ 2023 sensation Cathal McCarthy is expected to see his first minutes of the 2024 campaign. Robbed of game-time because of injury, it is questionable if he can exert the game-changing influence he had against the Magpies in last year’s county final. Similarly, do management promote Aaron Myers back to the starting 15, another key figure in the 2023 final win.
Midleton have had a far more challenging path to the last four. Kanturk, Erin’s Own, and Newtownshandrum have all asked different and difficult questions. They came through each. Their full-back line have one of the most important jobs of the hour in attempting to shut down Jack O’Connor and the in-form Shane O’Regan.
Sars
Will these two teams ever get to meet in conditions that are some way conducive to the open fare both are more than capable of espousing? Both teams are filled with dual players who’ve been equally busy on the hurling front in recent weeks, so there were unlikely to be too many complaints over last weekend’s postponement. Given the forecast for this weekend, Sunday's refixture will be about patience, game-management, and no little grit. Under those headings, it is hard to back against Nemo.
Nemo Rangers
Five of Muskerry’s main feeder clubs - Iveleary, Naomh Abán, Macroom, Canovee, and Kilmurry - all secured quarter-final or relegation play-off wins last week, which means they’re all coming in here in buoyant form. Mallow, as we stated before the postponed fixture, must be significantly more tuned in than they were against Douglas. More than Mattie Taylor, Shane Merritt, Sean McDonnell, Jack Dillon, and Mark Tobin must deliver.
Carrigaline are on the cusp of two county final appearances. David Griffin and Éanna Desmond are two of the in-form dual players hoping to deliver the first of those county final tickets. Ballincollig fell at this hurdle last year. Brian Keating, Tadhg O’Connell, and the Wills pair, Steve and Adam, can bring them a step further.
Ballincollig
Mitchelstown have never been eliminated earlier than the semi-finals across the past four seasons. That particular statistic will not be rewritten here.
Mitchelstown
Patrick Horgan will see action for the first time since Cork’s All-Ireland final defeat 11 weeks ago. But whether that’s from the off, or as a bench bounce, remains unclear. Such was the never-ending nature of Castlelyons' mammoth quarter-final with Na Piarsaigh, the Glen got two and a half hours of prime reel to study their opponents. Beyond the Spillane siblings and Niall O’Leary, they know that Alan Fenton and Keith O’Leary cannot be allowed to thrive.
Glen Rovers
This fixture needs no billing. All that is required is to recall the events of 12 months ago. Bride Rovers won the semi-final after penalties. Blarney appealed on the grounds that Bride Rovers had 16 on the field during the passage of play at the end of extra-time that led to the equalising point. Blarney won their appeal and the subsequent replay. Blarney will be better for the quarter-final fright Killeagh gave them, Bride Rovers are coming in off a four-week lay-off.
Blarney
Spillane aside, unbeaten Templenoe have been limping through games. Rather tellingly, the two divisions they scraped past - Feale Rangers and Shannon Rangers - were well beaten next time out. Dingle, meanwhile, have been down then up. They’ll have gleaned little from their annihilation of Milltown/Castlemaine. Learning is not of interest to them right now. It is about getting back to the stage where they fell in 2022 and 23.
Dingle
Kenmare have the footballers, we’ve long known that. Against Mid Kerry, they also displayed resolve, a refusal to panic, and an ability to think their way through a difficult situation. They’ll need all of the above to overcome a St Brendan’s team sheet where the number of recognisable names - Dylan Casey, Armin Heinrich, Joe O’Connor, Jack Savage, Daniel Kirby, and Barry John Keane - jump off the page.
St Brendan’s
St Kieran’s, for the second year running, have drawn the shortest quarter-final straw. They won’t need reminding how they felt at the end of last year’s 4-19 to 0-12 trouncing. Philip O’Connor, Sean O’Connell at midfield, and half-back Micheál Reidy will drive their bid to be at least competitive. East Kerry went through the motions against Milltown/Castlemaine. They won’t need to be close to full throttle here either.
East Kerry
Tie of the round in the Kingdom. Rathmore have netted six times in the championship from four different boots. Theirs is a most balanced forward threat. On the Crokes side, the threat is more narrowly focused, but it is a greater threat. Tony Brosnan and David Shaw are in such strong form, with Micheál Burns outside them on the 45 grafting ferociously to both fashion and finish white flags.
Dr Crokes
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