Kevin O'Donovan and kick-outs: Two tactical departments of intrigue

Eoghan Cormican takes a look at where St Finbarr's v Nemo Rangers may be won and lost.

With Nemo likely to be minus Barry Cripps, the pressure will be on Micheál Aodh Martin to avoid the blue giants and the pressure on Darragh Newman to find them. Pic: Laszlo Geczo/Inpho

Where and whom for Kevin O’Donovan?

Not that we needed one, but Kevin’s nullifying job on Cork teammate Brian O’Driscoll two weeks ago was a reminder of his ability to glue himself to an opposition linchpin and prove unpeelable.

The Cork defender executed a phenomenal shadowing job on Steven Sherlock during Nemo’s 2022 county final win over the Barrs. 

Last October, though, management opted for Kieran Histon to pick up the Barrs’ marquee forward, favouring a more advanced role for O’Donovan. And while he was still hugely impactful, contributing 1-1, so too was Sherlock at the other end.

Nemo will absolutely have studied Dan Peet’s semi-final shadowing job on Sherlock, holding him as he did to a solitary white flag from play.

Does O’Donovan reprise his 2022 role, and if not, is Histon again the poison of choice for the Barrs’ 2-30 top-scorer?

With Nemo having been caught somewhat unawares by William Buckley’s athleticism and ball-carrying ability throughout the 2025 decider, might the Cork hurler be the brief given to O’Donovan?

Seismic Sunday for Cork’s supporting cast of goalies 

Having spent five of the previous six seasons between the red sticks, Micheál Aodh Martin was demoted to second-choice Cork goalkeeper from May’s Munster final onwards. The 2026 campaign also represented Darragh Newman’s first in the Cork set-up.

So what you have on Sunday, in effect, is Cork’s No.2 versus Cork’s No.3.

Kicking into the breeze during the second half of Nemo’s semi-final against Carrigaline, and after seeing his first long restart land in blue and yellow hands, Martin went short to the edge of the arc with five of his next seven restarts to ensure possession was retained.

Such astuteness, not to mind the ability to repeatedly find an outfield teammate straddling the arc, will be imperative when faced with the Barrs’ middle-third blue wall.

Along with Ian Maguire, Brian Hayes, Rickey Barrett, and Luke Hannigan, Cork U20 Thomas Egan is the latest Togher tower to land onto the teamsheet and bolster their already numerous kick-out targets.

With Nemo likely to be minus Barry Cripps, the pressure will be on Martin to avoid the blue giants and the pressure on Newman to find them.

“The Barrs just produce giants. We found that hard to deal with last year. When they are in trouble, they have four across the middle and they can bang the ball to any one of them,” said Nemo’s Paul Kerrigan on a recent episode of the Irish Examiner Replay Show.