Cork v Meath: Team news ahead of the Allianz Division 2 tie at Páirc Tailteann
Cork’s Brian Hurley with Derry's Christopher McKaigue and Benny Heron. Picture: INPHO/Lorcan Doherty
CORK will have to make at least a couple of changes due to injuries for their crunch NFL Division 2 tie against Meath at Páirc Tailteann on Sunday at 2pm.
Apart from conceding a whopping 3-22 to Galway last time out at Páirc Uí Chaoimh, Cork also lost keeper Chris Kelly and vice-captain and centre-back Sean Meehan in the second-half.
Both are expected to be ruled out of Cork’s fifth win in a very competitive section as the Rebels chase their first victory on the path to preserving their status for next year.
The Éire Óg custodian played the last two days-Derry and the Tribesmen-after Micheál Aodh Martin started the campaign in the defeat by Roscommon away and the home draw with Clare.
The Nemo Rangers number one, who replaced Kelly late on, is set to return with the third-choice keeper in the group on the bench for the trip to Navan.
Meehan, who is joint holder of the armband with Brian Hurley, became the fourth centre-back to be selected by Keith Ricken and co, following John Cooper, Sean Powter and Billy Hennessy.
Cooper and Hennessy will enter the discussions tonight when Cork select their team though Powter’s hamstring injury rules him out and he’s unlikely to feature against Down or Offaly either.
Another option would be Kevin O’Donovan, whose versatility to play in most positions in defence has been shown in the campaign, where the Nemo player has lined out at right corner-back and right half-back, in addition to replacing Cooper against Roscommon.
On top of that O’Donovan has a nose for scores, as well, highlighted by his pair against Galway following on from finding the target against Clare and Derry to make it three successive games in which O’Donovan has added to Cork’s tally.
The team, when it is made public tomorrow, should also include Hurley, who had a shoulder problem before the Galway game and wasn’t involved.
The Castlehaven player was ever-present in the league up to that point and also played much of the McGrath Cup campaign, too.
Hurley looks set to start along with Steven Sherlock in the inside line, the St Finbarr’s star, chipping in with 0-10 of Cork’s impressive 2-17 against Galway.
Who Cork opt to run with the pair will be interesting, particularly as Blake Murphy has shown his value by scoring 1-2 in the last game and 0-3 from centre-forward against Clare.
And with Cathail O’Mahony making strides in his recovery from injury and poised for a return either this week or the following, Cork, suddenly, look to have a much stronger hand in attack.
What they all have in common is presence around the key middle third where Cork could do with some physicality and help win first phase possession.
It would also offer more choice to re-starts from either Martin or Kelly, especially as the option of going short comes with all sorts of potential disaster.
The likelihood is that the trio will be phased in gently, some starting and playing a portion of games before being replaced by others, all with the aim of ensuring they’re building up game-time.
Last weekend’s rescheduled game between Galway and Offaly, postponed because of the weather originally, produced the expected result of a Galway victory, their fourth on the spin.
What was surprising, though, was the 2-17 to 3-10 scoreline with Offaly only losing by four points, when most observers predicted a much wider winning margin for the home side.
Offaly are on their travels again this week, heading to play equally troubled Down in Newry on Saturday at 5pm, a result which will be waited with much interest by Cork.
Like Cork, the pair are also on one point and there’s only a wafer-thin gap between them in scoring difference, too.
Cork are on minus 23, Down minus 24 and Offaly minus 25 with Meath breathing slightly easier on two points.
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