Seánie McGrath: Cork have serious aerial power, they should trust it more

That Cork got no test on Sunday against Offaly, in the last six of the championship, speaks to the major problem that hurling has at present.

Cork manager Ben O'Connor must have been  buoyed by how impressive his side were from an aerial perspective in the All-Ireland SHC quarter-final against Offaly. Pic: ©INPHO/Tom O'Hanlon

Professional is a word that never really fits in a GAA sense. And for obvious reasons too. But in the case of Cork’s opening 35 minutes at Thurles, it is entirely appropriate.

The Cork players laid down early marker after early marker. They wasted no time at all in sucking the life from Offaly and ensuring their underdog opponents got absolutely zero momentum going. They were superbly efficient and so very rarely sloppy.

It was, in almost every aspect, a masterful first half.

That they pulled up during the second period warrants no criticism given the gap established by that excellent opening half.

While I acknowledge Offaly not being at the races from a physicality viewpoint, Ben has to be buoyed by how impressive Cork were from an aerial perspective.

Alan Walsh’s two goals were a direct result of two good catches. Brian Hayes’ opener was another fine catch. And if his handpass to Alan Connolly later in the half had been a legal one, that was another goal that would have had aerial roots. Shane Barrett’s third point started with a massive catch in between the Offaly pair of Ter Guinan and Conor Doyle.

I just wonder, sometimes, if we should trust ourselves aerially a bit more, even from puckouts?

Go back to the second half of the League final and Nickie Quaid had that aerial outlet of Gearóid Hegarty and Cathal O’Neill. I know when you are beating a team 20 and 30 points that you can get a false sense of a particular item, but I did think we were aerially very strong. Indeed, add to the earlier examples Robbie O’Flynn, after his introduction, catching a great ball over his head and slipping a point.

So again, I just wonder are we stronger in the air than we give ourselves credit for?

Going forward to the Galway game, I really would like to see this strength incorporated into the match approach to a greater extent.

Take Limerick, for example, who we could yet see again before the summer is out; their forwards typically push up on the opposition restart and that puts the goalkeeper under pressure to find someone from midfield up.

In the Munster final, you could see Patrick Collins was trying to put the ball in in front of fellas. And when these sorts of lasered deliveries didn’t come off, you had two balls go out over the North Stand sideline, whereas it would take some of the stress off Pa if we were posting guys in the half-forward line who are able to take ball high in the air.

Alan Walsh scored 2-1 for Cork on his full  championship debut. Pic: ©INPHO/Tom O'Hanlon

Yesterday was probably the most pronounced example of the slower build-up play that has been a growing feature of Ben’s management.

Last year under Pat, Cork were hitting the full-forward line quicker and more regularly, whereas Ben’s approach is more calculated. It was really accentuated on Sunday because Ben, as they head to Croker, wants it ingrained in players that possession will fly back out if the right ball inside is not on.

There were countless times yesterday where the Cork player in possession looked up and if a concrete pass inside to Hayes, Connolly, or Walsh was not guaranteed, possession was retained and they restarted with either a short-passing weave or someone wheeling around to collect the offload.

With respect to Offaly, yesterday was an opportunity to give Hugh O’Connor and Alan Walsh their full championship debuts, having had cameo roles throughout Munster. Alan certainly grabbed his opportunity and was excellent, but I still expect William Buckley to start next time out.

I could be wrong, of course, but my take would be that William has done enough over the course of the Championship to earn his place back.

What is of reassurance is what Alan showed when given his chance. In the All-Ireland semi-final, and final if they get there, Cork need lads coming off the bench and contributing two and three points, the same as Tom Morrissey does so seamlessly for Limerick.

In that respect, nice to see Seamie Harnedy get his pair. He could have a say yet in the final four given how well he knows Croke Park and it being a ground he has always performed so well in.

Internally, Ben and Gerry Hussey will temper matters as much as they need to be tempered following a posting of 6-25. I also think everyone on the outside will be a bit more measured, maybe more so than was the case after last year’s semi-final, because they realise the very obvious gulf in class that was apparent here.

Inside and outside, there’s consensus that a massive test is coming from Galway.

That there was no test on Sunday, in the last six of our championship, speaks to the major problem that hurling has at present. The gaps that are opening up in the Liam MacCarthy and between teams advanced well into the season points to worrying times in the bigger picture.