Cork brimming with 'bring-it-on' vibes as Kildare romp leaves destiny in Rebels' hands

MORE TO WRITE: Colm O'Callaghan of Cork signs autographs for supporters afterg the Allianz Football League Division 2 match between Cork and Kildare at Páirc Uí Rinn in Cork. Photo by Michael P Ryan/Sportsfile

Bring it on. A simple phrase to perfectly capture the Cork attitude. John Cleary’s charges are relishing the final-round trip to Omagh and of once again being in control of their promotion push. It’s all on them, and they’d not have it any other way.

“As I said to the players there, this is what we wanted,” the Cork manager replied when asked about his team's League fate coming back into their own hands.

They are no longer dependent on others to do them a favour. The favour done by Louth, in downing Derry just before Cork-Kildare threw in, was the one sizable favour they required.

“We were probably fourth favourites at the start of the year, in some cases fifth favourites to go up. Now we have given ourselves a chance,” Cleary continued.

“You saw Louth up in Ardee today, we went up there and won. We beat Meath, and that has proven to be the only defeat they have had so far, or likely will have.

“We just have one outlier result. Up to now, we'd have to be happy the way the League has gone. To win five out of six in any division is pretty tough, particularly the long trips that we have to make, and those away games are tough.

“Won't be easy next week, but we are delighted to be going there with a chance. It is a winner-takes-all for us. If we draw, we are promoted. It is a big game for us, and the lads below were saying, bring it on. This is where we want to be and this is where we are.” 

Cork met early on Saturday afternoon at the International Hotel up by the airport. Management told players there would be no communication before throw-in of how Derry and Louth ended up, or how Meath and Tyrone were progressing. No distractions. Just exclusive focus on the Kildare task in front of them.

Cleary is certain that not even hearing the Louth victory called out over the tannoy minutes before proceedings at Páirc Uí Rinn got underway in any way intruded on Cork focus.

“No, they just wanted to win this game full-stop," he added. "When you are focusing on a game, you can't be depending on outside noise or other results or whatever, it distracts you. They still had a game of ball to win. Whatever way that game went, if we didn't win our game, it didn't matter a damn.

“We made a conscious decision and we told the lads at the hotel this morning that the Meath match or the Derry match [were irrelevant], we had to concentrate on what we were doing ourselves. Because otherwise it is too much of a distraction. You are looking over and back. We decided we had a job to do here and everything else would take care of itself once we did our job.” 

Cork’s start, with the aid of the breeze, was brilliantly orange. Five two-pointers by the 17th minute, eight by half-time. An interval lead 16 point strong.

The accuracy was excellent. There were some great scores kicked. We wanted a reaction after Derry and definitely we got it. We were hurt after that game. There might have been reasons for it, but nobody likes to get a beating like that.

“This week and our trip away, the first thing we had to do was try and atone for that result. The other aim we had; it is the first time in a good number of years that Cork have won all their home games in the League. That one result in Derry was an outlier, really.

“The lads were fierce determined there, particularly in front of the home supporters to put on a performance. We knew in Derry that it wasn't acceptable. All you can do is learn from it. I think we took the learnings from it.

“Maybe slightly disappointed with the second-half. They got a goal, could have got two or three others. We were a bit open at times. If you'd have given me a nine-point victory this morning, I'd have bitten your hand off. We'll take that and move on.”