MATTHEW HURLEY explains what Cork must do against Tyrone to get the result the Rebels need

START WELL

Cork have a habit of beginning games well and giving themselves an advantage. That could work a treat if they repeat it against Tyrone this Sunday. In the last seven competitive games where Tyrone were behind at half time, they have lost six times. The odd game out was their 2-16 to 1-19 draw against Kildare. That outcome would still be enough for Cork to get promoted. The figures show that if you build up a lead over Tyrone, they find it difficult to claw it back. Cork have led at the break in all but one of their league matches so far. A good start in Omagh can be the platform for a vital win to seal Cork’s promotion back to Division 1.

NO SECOND-HALF SLIP UP

With Cork’s blistering starts have come a drop in performance level in the second half. Take last weekend as an example. Cork were 16 points up on Kildare and cruising. By the end, they won by just nine. They also lost the second period to Derry by 16 points. The Rebels have lost the second half in all of their games to date. That is something that John Cleary and his management team will focus on in an otherwise good league campaign. A good start can be the key but if Cork drop the ball later in the game, promotion could slip away. They cannot let Tyrone have a sniff of a comeback and must stay focused for the final 35 minutes.

UTILISE TWO-POINTERS

Cork’s long-range kicking has been a factor in pushing the Rebels to the cusp of a top-two finish. Cleary’s team have scored the second most two-pointers in Division 2 with 19. Only Meath have bettered it with 22. Eight 40-metre kicks in the first half against Kildare gave Cork a sizable lead last weekend. Steven Sherlock has hit nine of Cork’s two-point scores this year but it’s promising to see Chris Óg Jones, Mark Cronin and Dara Sheedy show their ability to kick from long range. At the other end, Tyrone have converted the least two-pointers with just 10. Cork have conceded the joint-least of these too with 13. Tyrone have conceded the second-most with 18.

SHUT DOWN TYRONE THREATS

The Ulster county have only two players that have scored ten points or more this year. Ethan Jordan has hit 2-23 while Darragh Canavan has chipped in with 0-20. It’s uncertain as to whether Canavan will play after coming on as a sub in their defeat to Meath, but Jordan is a player Cork will have to keep an eye on. Mattie Donnelly is the best of the rest with 1-9 and is one of the most experienced members of their panel while Ruairi Canavan is well able to score, despite not showing it regularly this year. Cork’s key man-markers in Tommy Walsh, Daniel O’Mahony and Maurice Shanley will need to be on top form to quell Tyrone’s key operators.

NAIL THE KICK-OUT

The kick-out can be a negative to Cork’s game at times but when they start winning ball around the middle, they get a lot of joy. The number of scores off their own restarts has been high in a number of games. In their win over Meath, the Rebels scored 1-14 off their own kick-outs. Other tallies include 0-10 against Cavan, 0-9 against Kildare and 0-8 v Offaly. If they are to repeat those figures, midfielders Colm O’Callaghan and Ian Maguire need to be winning primary possession so they can go on attacks. To overcome a Tyrone side that still have All-Ireland winning partnership Brian Kennedy and Conn Kilpatrick in their ranks, Cork have to come up with a kick-out strategy that is effective.