Cork boss Cleary doesn’t want repeat of 2023 sucker punch 

JOHN Cleary has warned his Cork footballers not to get caught with the same sucker punch that floored the Rebels in last year’s Munster senior football championship.

In 2023, two weeks after Cork finished fourth in Division 2 of the Allianz Football League they were knocked out of the provincial championship by Clare, and the Rebels face a similar schedule this season, too. 

Only two weeks separate Cork’s final Division 2 game – a draw with Armagh, incidentally Cork drew with Derry in their final league game in 2023 – and their upcoming Munster SFC quarter-final against Limerick on April 7th at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh. 

Cleary wants to ensure lessons were learned from last season as Cork target a Munster semi-final against Kerry on April 20th.

‘There is always a huge difference between league and championship. We would have found that out last year. We did reasonably okay in the league, and then we went in against Clare in the championship, and we got caught with a sucker punch,’ Cleary said. 

‘Basically, what we want to try and do this year now is realise that the league is parked now, and we forget about it. When we returned to training this week, it's championship. 

‘Normally then when you come to the championship, the ground is faster and the ball is moving quicker. What we need to try and do is learn the lessons from the league, use those and put solutions into place. But the championship is a new competition and takes on a life of its own. 

‘I know Limerick were relegated, but that won't matter to them the next day. They'll come down here and give it one right good shot.’

Cork head into the showdown with Limerick on an unbeaten run that stretched to four games with last weekend’s draw with an already-promoted Armagh. Cork’s form is picking up at the right time with the championship just around the corner.

‘We'd be happy with scoring 2-16 (against Armagh), but we wouldn't be happy with conceding 2-16,’ Cleary said.

‘They were the first goals that Armagh conceded in the league so far this year. That has to be pleasing. There were times that we made them look ordinary, the same as they did with us. That's the level we want to be trying to play at all the time. At the start of the league, we weren't at that level, but we kept at it. It gives us a bounce going into the championship now.’