‘CONFIDENCE is building,’ John Cleary says, as Cork’s Division 2 promotion push gathers momentum.

After four games, the Rebels lead the pack, sitting top of the table with a 100 percent record.

Cork’s current tally of eight points equals the county’s highest total in Division 2 since being relegated from the top tier in 2016 – Cleary’s crew also amassed eight points last season, but still have three games to go in this campaign.

Bigger tests are to come against Derry, Kildare and Tyrone in the weeks ahead, starting with a long trip north to face promotion contenders Derry in Celtic Park this Sunday (1pm).

Cork will travel in confidence off the back of a winning run that includes the scalp of Meath last weekend.

‘Week after week when we go back to training after a win, you can see that the momentum is there. You can see that confidence is building,’ Cleary noted.

‘I’ve been in this position two years ago and we lost the first three games. You’re going back into training the following day or night and you’re trying to get fellas up, but when you’re winning games, fellas come in with a bounce in their step.

‘Just like everything else in sport, momentum is everything and I think that’s what it is.’

Derry are also on a winning run. Their victory over Offaly (2-25 to 0-8) was their third in succession. That’s what makes this Sunday’s match-up so intriguing: two in-form teams on the hunt for promotion.

‘Every team is in the same boat. We knew when the draw was made this was going to be our programme. We’re in the mix now. We just have to assess the bodies, drive ahead and head off to Derry,’ Cleary explained.

‘We knew that our easier games were front-loaded in this league and that coming to the end it was going to get tougher. At least with having victories under your belt, you can go into the tougher games with that confidence of getting victories. That is helping us.

‘Two trips to the north and Kildare at home – it’s tough. If we’re good enough to get into Division 1, we will. We’ll put ourselves in the mix now and we’ll just see where it goes in the next couple of weeks.’

The victory against Meath was a notable result and one that kept Cork ahead of the chasing pack. The Rebels sit on eight points, with Meath and Derry behind on six. With Louth in fourth on four points, it has the feel of a three-horse race for two spots – which is why this Sunday’s game is so important.

Cleary was pleased with how calm Cork were in the second half against Meath, and that composure will be key for the rest of the campaign, starting with the trip to Derry.

‘We said at half time that we’d try to hold out as long as we could, but they had 1-1 in the first minute of the second half. That was the war cry going out, but that didn’t last very long. With 33 minutes to go, facing a strong wind and the new rules, it was going to be a big battle,’ the Cork boss said.

‘I felt during the week, particularly in training, that the lads really wanted it. We were very disappointed coming home from Offaly last week with the second-half display. They were very hard on themselves and we didn’t have to say much during the week.

‘They knew themselves and they said it wasn’t acceptable, and the only place to put it right was against Meath. They went a long way towards that.’