Cleary: Return to Division 1 is key for Cork football

JOHN Cleary has identified the next step his Cork footballers must take to continue their progress: win promotion to Division 1 of the Allianz Football League.

Cork’s season came to an end with an All-Ireland SFC quarter-final exit to Derry, but while Cleary admitted he was ‘gutted’ after the 1-12 to 1-8 defeat, the general view is that this has been a positive campaign for the Rebels.

They were in contention in the top half of Division 2 for long stretches, and despite the frustrating Munster SFC quarter-final exit to Clare, Cork bounced back to beat Louth and then two Division 1 teams, Mayo and Roscommon, in the All-Ireland series.

Getting Cork back to Division 1 of the football league for the first time since 2016 is now a realistic target for Cleary’s crew. It will provide consistent games against the best teams in the country. Since Cork were relegated from the top tier they have finished fourth in Division 2 on two occasions, also finished sixth twice while the Rebels were also relegated in 2019 and spent the following season in Division 3. A return to Division 1 is a must, Cleary feels.

‘The first thing we need to do is get back into Division 1, which is not easy either because Division 2 is very competitive. You become battle-hardened then,’ the Cork boss said.

‘The other thing is trying to develop a panel so that you would have 24 or 25 players. Unfortunately we were down maybe three or four players (against Derry) with injuries, which could have helped us. That's what we've been trying to do – develop a panel that will be able to come here (Croke Park) regularly and compete and be close enough so that someday you might get a bit of luck and get over the line. But it's tough, tough stuff.’

Castlehaven clubman Cleary also feels that Cork need to be more clinical. The Rebels only scored 1-8 against Derry and were guilty of some poor wides and decision-making in front of the posts. It’s an area that Cork must improve to take that next step.

‘Whatever about experience, when you get your chances you have got to take them. You look at how clinical Kerry were (against Tyrone), that's the level you've got to get to,’ Cleary said.

‘Maybe if fellas had more experience of doing this, they might do things differently the next time. You can't beat coming here year after year, which the top teams have been doing. Cork have been out of it there for a number of years.’