'More enjoyable to coach, more enjoyable to watch' - John Cleary content with rules debut

After an opening day win the Cork manager was happy with how the new rules worked

 Cork manager John Cleary reacts during the Allianz Football League Division 2 match between Cork and Meath at Páirc Ui Chaoimh in Cork. Photo by Michael P Ryan/Sportsfile

This is John Cleary’s fourth season on the line with the Cork footballers. The first three began with Division 2 league defeats away to Roscommon, at home to Meath, and up in Donegal. All bar the four-point loss to Meath two Januarys ago fell into the heavy beating category.

This opening January evening was a new departure, a new and winning experience for Cleary and his players. For the first time since they entered Division 2 way back in 2017, Cork had come away from their league opener with two points in the gearbag.

“It is not the be all and end all, but it is a lot nicer feeling going home today than the last three years,” said the Cork boss.

“This is the first year since I was involved that we did win the opening one. It puts you under pressure when you don't win it, a bit of negativity comes in, but you wouldn't want to take it for granted either. We lost the first three last year and it wasn't the end of the world either.

“Happy with the two points, maybe not overly happy with the display. We will have an awful lot of learnings from that tonight, and we need to work on that, and the players know that.

“We have a good few out at the moment and hopefully they'll be trickling back. If you are without points and have a lot of new fellas in, it makes it a lot harder then. I think that will give everyone out there tonight confidence in the next couple of games.” 

The most pleasing aspect was as you’d expect it to be. That is when Meath came at Cork in the third quarter with three quick points to cancel out the home side’s opening goal, the hosts did not then balk.

“When the game was there for the taking, we stood up and took it. Sometimes in the past, that wasn't the case. Around the middle, Colm O'Callaghan got a couple of great balls. Matty Taylor, his goal was outstanding. He drove on and that is what we asked of fellas at half-time, that if the game is there for the taking, go and take it, don't be waiting, and don't be hanging around. Maybe it is lessons we have learned over the years.

“There were three lads making their first start tonight, Sean Walsh, Sean McDonnell, and Neil Lordan. It was a case of they had to be thrown in. And I thought they acquitted themselves quite well.” 

The new rules, of course, dominated a fair chunk of the post-match chat. Cleary had expressed his favour for them before a competitive ball had ever been tossed into the air. That favour was in no way dimmed by what he had just seen.

“As we see here now, unless we come up with something else, it is a forward's dream to get the ball in quickly. And if you have someone of the calibre of Chris Óg [Jones], you are trying to get it in as quickly as possible. That's what the lads did, particularly in the second half.

“It is up and down the field. It brings the kicker back into the game for scoring. There are a lot more scores. Under the old rules, it is unlikely we would have had that many scores. It is more enjoyable to coach. And it is more enjoyable to watch, as well. And the players are loving it. It is a win-win.

“One thing I didn't realise was that if the goalkeeper takes too long to kick out the ball, it is a free in. We were waiting for the throw-in [after Cork sub goalkeeper Patrick Doyle was penalised], and it never came. We thought Paul Walsh's kick was a two-pointer, but it wasn't given. The referee said he was inside. The linesman was saying, the line isn't marked that well. If we had been beaten by a point tonight, we'd have been looking at that video. The referee, in fairness, was well up with everything.”