CORK footballers take their first steps in the new All-Ireland SFC format this Saturday evening, but the goal remains the same: go the fastest route possible to the quarter-finals.

With Meath visiting Páirc Uí Rinn on Saturday evening (5.30pm, live on GAA+) in a Round 1 encounter, the winner advances to Round 2A with the seven other Round 1 winners – the four winners from here will go into the quarters.

But the losing Round 1 teams have the safety net of Round 2B, where the eight losing counties play off for the four spots in Round 3 against the four losers of Round 2A. Sounds complicated? Perhaps a little, but John Cleary wants Cork to make life as straightforward as possible: win, keep winning and go direct to the last eight.

‘We don’t really know about the new format yet until we see how it all plays out because it’s the first time this has been tried. A lot will depend on the draws going forward,’ Cleary told The Southern Star.

‘This draw was predetermined because we got to a provincial final, so we knew we were at home. But if you win, you could be going anywhere next, or you could be at home again. If you lose, it’s the same thing, it just goes into the hat.

‘A lot of it could come down to home and away draws. You could get a nice one or you could get a really difficult one. Obviously, the best way forward is to keep winning. Win two games and you’re in Croke Park for a quarter-final. That’s the aim for everyone at this stage, ourselves included.’

A Cork win against Meath – the counties’ third meeting of the season, with one win apiece – would be a step towards avoiding the scenic, longer route to GAA HQ.

‘If you lose at all, it comes down to playing week on week and that’s very difficult. Especially if the draw doesn’t go your way and you’re facing long journeys. We saw from the league how tough going week on week can be,’ the Cork boss added.

The hope is the Páirc Uí Rinn factor can help get Cork over the line against the Royals, like it did in the Division 2 clash in February, and also against Kildare. Switching Cork’s home games from Páirc Uí Chaoimh to Páirc Uí Rinn just makes sense – it’s a tighter, more intimate venue that creates a better atmosphere given Cork’s football support. Plus, Cork are used to winning there.

‘We asked before the competition started, before the fixtures or draws were made, if it would be possible to play there and the county board agreed,’ Cleary said.

‘It was something management and players discussed together and everyone felt it was the right thing to do. We train there a lot, we have a good record there and the atmosphere has really helped us, particularly in the last two league games.

‘We’ll be hoping for another big crowd. In both the Meath and Kildare league games, when we came under pressure down the home stretch, the crowd definitely helped to get us over the line.’