Cork boosted by return of defensive duo for Kildare clash 

Forward Mark Cronin, who kicked 1-18 across Cork’s opening four wins, was another absent at Celtic Park two weeks ago, with manager John Cleary rating his chances of a return this weekend as only “50/50”.

Tommy Walsh of Cork celebrates. Pic: Seb Daly/Sportsfile

The return from injury of Brian O’Driscoll and Tommy Walsh will strengthen the Cork defence for this Saturday’s Division 2 tie at home to Kildare.

O’Driscoll has not featured since the Round 2 win over Louth on February 1, while Walsh, so influential in the victory over Meath, was absent for the subsequent 20-point hammering away to Derry.

Forward Mark Cronin, who kicked 1-18 (0-5 frees/mark) across Cork’s opening four wins, was another absent at Celtic Park two weeks ago, with manager John Cleary rating his chances of a return this weekend as only “50/50”. Goalkeeper Patrick Doyle and Brian Hurley fall into the same category. Hurley has missed the last three games.

Ian Maguire’s return from suspension, allied to the removal of Walsh and O’Driscoll from the injury list, means the Cork defence and midfield are likely to undergo notable personnel change for the Kildare game.

“The Meath game was a very physical game and we thought we’d come out all right out of it, but we did get knocks and injuries from it,” Cleary said on Tuesday evening.

“Lots of teams have injuries, but our injuries came at the one time. None of them are long-term, so hopefully we’ll have a good few back now for the weekend, if this week goes okay.” 

Cork flew out to Portugal for a warm-weather training camp two days after the heaviest defeat of John Cleary’s four-year tenure. 

The 1-31 to 0-14 demolition by Derry, he insisted, did not overshadow their four days away.

What the demolition by Derry has most certainly influenced, however, is Cork’s promotion bid. 

Because of their now vastly inferior score difference to Derry and Meath, who also sit on eight points, Cork must win their remaining two games - at home to Kildare and away to Tyrone - and hope that either Derry or Meath drop points along the way.

“The camp was planned ages ago, so just because we had a poor result, it didn't overshadow everything. It wasn't just on that match that we were focusing on, it was the whole season so far,” Cleary explained.

“We reviewed the Derry game on Tuesday when we got out there, picked out the pluses and minuses, and then we parked it because we weren't playing Derry again this weekend. A lot of our preparation was on Kildare and Tyrone, who are our next two games.

“I remember Damien Delaney was in with us last year. Soccer players are used to games coming thick and fast. It was a thing that came up, what if you had a poor defeat, and he said, you have to park it. We took a bit of advice from him on that. 

"We dealt with it, we parked it, and we’ve moved on.” 

Although Cork will host Kildare at Páirc Uí Rinn (5pm) after management requested the venue be changed from Páirc Uí Chaoimh owing to the Páirc Uí Rinn crowd factor for the Meath win, Cleary said Páirc Uí Chaoimh will remain as their home venue for the upcoming championship and there are no plans to deviate from such. 

Cork are due to host Limerick in the Munster quarter-final on April 12.

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