THE Cork LGFA senior footballers focus has switched to the upcoming TG4 All-Ireland Series following defeat to Waterford in the provincial championship.
Defeat in Waterford along with a previous loss to Kerry means Joe Carroll’s Cork seniors have missed out on a place in this year’s Munster final.
The Rebels will face the winners of that upcoming provincial decider along with either Galway or Mayo in the group stages of the TG4 All-Ireland SFC.
Cork know they will end up facing two teams that finished ahead of them in the National League. So, plenty to look forward to despite last weekend’s chastening loss to the Déise.
‘It was very disappointing,’ Cork LGFA selector Brian McCarthy said following last Sunday’s defeat.
‘I thought we were well in the game 5 or 10 minutes into the second-half. To be fair to Waterford, they turned the screw on us and got the scores.
‘They were probably a bit more efficient than us, in terms of being more clinical, but also a bit more streetwise when we had the ball.
‘That comes from the experience of playing in Division 1 which has been a benefit to them. Overall, we have to learn from this game, look at the video and take on board what we can improve on.’
Suffering a nine-point defeat was disappointing but this is a Waterford side that finished third in Division 1 and ran All-Ireland SFC champions Kerry to a point in their previous game. Ultimately, a newly promoted Cork will benefit from playing a similar level of opposition.
‘The more Division 1 teams we play, especially after the getting relegated last year, will only improve us,’ McCarthy added.
‘Yes, it might take a while to get to that pitch and there was an element of it at the weekend. Even though we got ahead of Waterford, we found ourselves under fierce pressure.
‘It comes down to game intelligence and how to see out these games. That’s where it comes from when you are playing better quality teams.’
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Cork now know that they will face the winners of Kerry and Waterford’s Munster decider as well as the losers of Galway and Mayo Connacht final in this year’s All-Ireland SFC group stage.
The top two advance to the All-Ireland quarter-finals while the third-placed side enters a relegation semi-final.
‘There are no easy games from here on in,’ McCarthy admitted.
‘However, this (Cork) group is extremely resilient, I have to say that, being involved in the first year with them.
‘I’d have no fear about what group we’d go into, we just have to learn our lessons.
‘If we learn them quick enough then we can take the game to the opposition. That’s very important to recognise that. We have quality. We just need to be a lot more consistent in what we want to do on the field.’
One big positive for Cork is their ability to score goals. The Rebels have failed to hit the back of the net only twice in eleven games this year, against Kerry (Munster) and Galway (National League).
There is still room for improvement when it comes to converting chances.
‘We have created a lot of goal scoring chances (this year),’ Brian McCarthy added.
‘That’s the difference when playing a Division 1 team as opposed to Division 2 teams. Yes, you can be clinical against some of the Division 2 teams but you have to be really top notch against Division 1 sides.
‘Last Sunday, we created goal scoring chances. Unfortunately, we didn’t take them. When it comes down to it, that was the difference between the teams.’
