Cork in control with promotion on the line in Tyrone

The Rebels bounced back with an impressive win over Kildare on Saturday.

Mon, 16 Mar, 2026 - 05:41

Eoghan Cormican

Cork 1-31 (1-8-15) Kildare 2-19 (2-4-11)

BRING it on. A week of pressure and possibility for the Cork footballers. Opening remarks suggest they will confidently count down to the county’s most consequential 70 minutes of fare since forever and a day.

There have been nine years spent in Division 2. Nine years of various Cork managers and players telling us why they need to return to the top flight, of what they’re missing out on by holding second-tier residence.

To paraphrase: Can’t contend in the championship from a Division 2 standing start. Lack of regular exposure to the market leaders places a ceiling on collective development. Etc, etc.

Here, finally, is their shot. A long spin to Omagh that comes with no strings attached. A win or draw takes them up. No favours are required elsewhere. It is all on Cork. They decide.

John Cleary told this newspaper last week that the current panel is the strongest of his five-year involvement.

Saturday evening gone was the latest confirmation of that statement.

Microcosms of this strength played out across the field. Patrick Doyle returned between the sticks. There was a first-half Kildare point attempt that he confidently came off his line to catch overhead. He gave assured justification to his selection until a three-in-a-row of second-half mistakes ended with a black card, penalty-conceding foul on Brian McLoughlin.

Micheál Aodh Martin was sprung. His first action was to save Alex Beirne’s spot kick. He’d subsequently deny Jack Robinson, twice, and McLoughlin.

The No 1 jersey is anyone’s guess going up to Healy Park.

In the half-back line, Brian O’Driscoll returned after three games absent — Cork’s running game is stronger for his involvement. So too is their orange flag threat, even if his name wasn’t scratched onto any of the eight first-half missiles successfully launched from outside the arc.

To his left, Tommy Walsh also returned from injury to continue his coming of age as Cork’s new No 6. To his left, Luke Fahy has turned the page on his hamstring woes. He kicked a first-half two-pointer after intercepting a stray Kildare restart and touched a second-half Brian Byrne goal drive onto the crossbar.

This begs the question: Is there a place in the half-back line for Matty Taylor? The same Matty Taylor who has started every championship game of Cleary’s reign.

That question is likely to go unanswered until April after Taylor’s second-half cameo proved short-lived owing to a shoulder injury. Cleary reckons he won’t be in the frame for Tyrone involvement.

There was once a time when Cleary’s thinking didn’t allow Steven Sherlock and Chris Óg Jones to share the same teamsheet.

On Saturday, they served up 1-19 between them. Young Dara Sheedy has arrived at least two years before anyone expected him to.

Beyond the individual, there was resolve and a reaction. From the concession of 1-31 at Celtic Park to posting the exact same total here. The hosts displayed no hangover — physical, psychological, or otherwise — from the disastrous trip north a fortnight earlier.

Kildare were visibly brittle. Without a win since January 31, they won the toss and elected to play against the breeze.

It was the second favour of the evening presented to Cork. The other had arrived a few minutes earlier when it was announced over the tannoy that Louth had downed Derry and Cork were back in control of their promotion push.

Suspension served, Ian Maguire claimed the opening Kildare restart. The play ended with Barrs club-mate Sherlock kicking their first two-pointer after only 65 seconds. They led 1-22 to 1-6 at the break. Another Maguire kickout won and Sherlock point left them 1-26 to 1-7 clear nine minutes into the second half.

The aberration of Celtic Park aside, Cork have earned their shot.

“At the start of the year, we were probably fourth favourites to go up, fifth favourites in some cases,” Cleary remarked. “You saw Louth 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’ve had to make.

“Won’t be easy on Sunday, but we are delighted to be going there with a chance. It is a big game for us, and the lads below were saying, bring it on. This is where we wanted to be and this is where we are.”

At the beginning of the season, Cleary asked: “Can we make another step?”

He’s about to get his answer.

Scorers for Cork: C Óg Jones (1-9, 2tp); S Sherlock (0-10, 2tp, tp free, 0-1 ‘45); M Cronin (0-4, tp); L Fahy (tp), D Sheedy (tp, 0-3 each); T Walsh, P Walsh (0-1 each).

Scorers for Kildare: B McCormack (0-4, 2tp); J Robinson (1-1, 0-1 free); A Beirne (tp, 0-1 free), D Kirwan (0-3 each); B Gibbons (1-0); B Loakman (tp), C Dalton, C Moran (0-2 each); B McLoughlin (free), C Bolton (0-1 each).

CORK: P Doyle; M Shanley, D O’Mahony, S Brady; B O’Driscoll, T Walsh, L Fahy; C O’Callaghan, I Maguire; P Walsh, D Sheedy, S McDonnell; M Cronin, C Óg Jones, S Sherlock.

Subs: R Deane for McDonnell, S Walsh for P Walsh (both 52); M Taylor for T Walsh (56); MA Martin for Sheedy (58); D Cashman for Taylor (60, inj, temp); R Maguire for Doyle (66).

KILDARE: C Burke; H O’Neill, B Byrne, R Burke; L Kelly, P Spillane, E Lawlor; C Bolton, D Kirwan; S Doran, K Feely, C Dalton; C Moran, B McLoughlin, B Loakman.

Subs: B Gibbons for Feely (10 mins, inj); A Beirne for Doran, B McCormack for Kelly (both HT); J Robinson for Moran (46); E Cully for Loakman (64).

Referee: L Devenney (Mayo).