Kerry clash offers ‘ideal stress test’ for Cork ahead of league

IN John Cleary’s own words, it’s not the be-all and end-all but Cork’s McGrath Cup final derby with Kerry on Friday night offers the ‘ideal stress test’ ahead of the real battles that lie ahead.

After routine wins over Clare (2-14 to 0-8) and Waterford (1-20 to 0-6), both off the back of strong second-half performances, the Rebels put their McGrath Cup title on the line against the old enemy in Páirc Uí Rinn on Friday (7pm).

With just over a week until Cork’s Division 2 football league campaign throws in, Rebels boss Cleary views this as the ideal preparation for the opener away to Donegal in Ballybofey on Sunday, January 28th.

‘We’ll be up against top-class sides going forward in Division 2, starting with Donegal. Friday night is not the be-all and end-all but it’s the ideal stress test and preparation for what’s to come in the weeks ahead,’ Cleary noted.

Kerry have been racking up the scores on their side of the draw, hitting 3-20 against Tipperary and 6-18 against Limerick, so their tails will be up for the trip across the county bounds. This is just the challenge Cork need ahead of the Division 2 campaign that begins with back-to-back away trips to Donegal and Louth. The Rebels can’t afford a sluggish start to the campaign or they’ll be on the back foot and playing catch-up. 

Cleary knows too that Cork need a better first-half performance than the opening-half struggle against Waterford last weekend when they only led by two at the break. The second half was much better, as Chris Óg Jones and Eoghan McSweeney combined for 1-8 in the half. The Cork manager acknowledges that his Rebels need to be more ruthless and while it was encouraging to watch the points flow in the second half, the quality of the opposition is undoubtedly a factor; Cork forwards had the freedom of Mallow at times in the second half.  

‘It was our Achilles heel last year that we weren't clinical enough in taking scores,’ he said. 

‘I would temper it by saying there will be a lot more pressure on the lads when we play better teams. A couple of times they had a few seconds to steady down and pop it over the bar. We are not naive enough to think we will get that type of room when we are playing the bigger teams. I wouldn’t read too much into it but it was nice to see the ball moving in the second half.’

Cathail O'Mahony's absence through injury is a big blow.

Cork must plan, however, for the entire league campaign without injury-cursed forward Cathail O’Mahony who is facing another spell on the sidelines.

‘Cathail is out for the league,’ Cleary confirmed. ‘He injured his quad and had an operation just before Christmas. Cathail missed the county intermediate A final (in November), he got injured before it, but when he came back the medics deemed it had to be operated on. It’s a big blow for him and for us all. The hope is we might have him back for the championship but he is definitely out for the league.’

Sean Powter (hamstring) will miss Cork’s opening Division 2 league game away to Donegal at the end of the month, but could be in contention for the trip to Louth on February 4th. If not, the home tie against Cavan on February 17th could mark his comeback. Clonakilty’s Thomas Clancy (calf) has been ruled out for a few weeks, there is better news that Steven Sherlock (calf/thigh) is on the road to recovery, but Killian O’Hanlon (hip) could also miss the opening rounds of the league. Cork defender Daniel O’Mahony could feature in the McGrath Cup final against Kerry on Friday night, while seven Cork footballers were expected to be in Sigerson Cup action this week.