Cleary warns against slow start as Cork prepare for biggest test

CORK can't afford a sluggish start against Derry in Sunday’s All-Ireland SFC quarter-final, insists John Cleary.

The Rebels boss leads his charges back into this Croke Park showdown (1.45pm, live on RTÉ) with Ulster champs Derry, and while Cork have momentum from their recent wins, Cleary has warned a repeat of the slow start against Roscommon last weekend will leave his side vulnerable.

At one stage of the first half in the preliminary quarter-final against Roscommon Cork trailed by four points, and looked well off the pace. While they eventually turned it around, Cleary warned against a repeat on Sunday.

‘I thought we were very flat and a bit nervous playing at home in front of a big Cork crowd,’ the Cork manager told The Southern Star.

‘We stood off Roscommon, we waited for things to happen, waited for them to come at us, but it was only when we went for it before half time that we got those scores back. The second half, we played much better. Hopefully that first half won't happen again, and that we get stuck in from the start.

‘The likes of Derry could make sure the game will be over if you don't stay with them in the first half.’

Cleary feels this Sunday’s challenge is a step up from recent games, as Cork beat both Mayo and Roscommon in successive weekends. It was back-to-back wins against Division 1 opposition for the first time in over a decade, but it gets harder from here on in.

‘This is another step up,’ he said.

‘With respect to Roscommon, Derry are provincial champions, they won Division 2 this year, were in last year’s All-Ireland semi-final so that tells you the challenge we have.

‘When we played them in the league this year they had already been promoted, so whether we can read a lot into that game I’m not too sure.

‘We are expecting a big challenge, on their day Derry are a match for anyone, I’m sure their sights are on winning the All-Ireland this year after being in the mix last season.

‘We will see how we can improve from last weekend and how we can stop Derry playing to their ability because when they get going they grind teams down and then go for the jugular; hopefully we can stop them doing that and play the type of game we want to play.’

Cork are a team in progress, and this is another championship game to test themselves against top-tier opposition. Cleary has been encouraged by the development in recent weeks, Cork finding the answers in big moments of big games against Louth, Mayo and Roscommon.

‘We had that experience in the last few minutes last Saturday. We had to soak up some Roscommon pressure and the main thing for us was not to give away a handy foul. Then when we had the possession we had to make it work, to try and get up for a score. After that we defended for our lives. We have had that experience in our last few games and every time you do that you learn something. It helps get you over the line when you have been there,’ he added.

DID YOU KNOW? Cork are bidding to reach the semi-final for the first time since 2012. And Cork and Derry meet in the championship for only the second time, having previously clashed in the 1993 All-Ireland final, which Derry won by 1-14 to 2-8.