All-Ireland SFC: Cork drawn in difficult Group 1 in the new-look round-robin format

LADY Luck didn’t smile on Cork footballers who look set to play All-Ireland champions Kerry and National League winners Mayo along with Division 2 rivals Louth in Group 1 of the new-look All-Ireland championship.

Fourth seeds Cork begin with an away game against the beaten finalists in Leinster, where it’s a Dublin-Louth showdown on Sunday week, resulting in John Cleary’s side having to wait until the end of the month for their first taste of action.

After that, the Rebels will most likely be facing old rivals Kerry at Pairc Ui Chaoimh on the first weekend in June provided the Kingdom get over Clare in the Munster final at the Gaelic Grounds on Sunday.

Cork wrap-up their three-game schedule against Mayo, who lost to Roscommon in Connacht, at a neutral venue, more than likely Croke Park as part of a double-bill on the weekend of June 17-18.

Alternatively, it could be played at the Gaelic Grounds in Limerick with Cusack Park, Ennis, also a possibility, but all that will be decided on Friday, when officials unveil the fixtures.

Presuming the form guide stands up and Dublin collect their 13 successive Leinster title, then it’s back to Ardee for Cork to play Louth for the second time this season, the teams having met in mid-March, when the home side prevailed by 1-10 to 0-10.

Cork, who finished behind Louth in fourth place in the final standings, lost full-back Daniel O’Mahony to a straight red card in the first-half and also conceded a goal from a penalty, expertly tucked away by Ryan Burns.

Despite playing with the strong wind, Cork could only manage a one-point interval lead, 0-8 to 1-4, and added just 0-2 on the resumption, a Steven Sherlock free and Luke Fahy’s second of the afternoon.

Louth will benefit hugely from playing a Leinster final against a Dublin side that was only in middle gear for their semi-final against Kildare with all the pressure on the champions.

Mickey Harte’s side will be rank outsiders going into the decider and then having a two-week break before entering the All-Ireland series.

Previous experience of playing at DEFY Pairc Mhuire will stand to Cork, who will also know what’s coming in terms of Louth’s style, defence first and then counter-attacking at pace while better weather would also help Cork.

Any other result than a convincing Kerry win over Clare would come as a surprise with Cork then awaiting the ‘old enemy’ in round 2.

It’s a guaranteed home game for Cork regardless of the current home and away arrangement in place for the Munster championship with Cork due to a visit to Killarney the next time the pair collide in the provincial championship.

A Kerry-Mayo opener in the group would set the scene for an exciting series of games with the Connacht side travelling to Fitzgerald Stadium for the tie before Mayo host Louth, presumably, in their second game.

Cork will be outsiders against Kerry and Mayo placing a strong emphasis on the first game against Louth with three teams advancing to the knock-out phase.

The group winners progress directly to the quarter-finals and the teams in second and third places playing off to make-up the last eight.

Group 2 is also very competition with Tyrone and last year’s Tailteann Cup winners Westmeath set to be joined by the Connacht winners, most likely Galway, and the runners-up in Ulster, which has a Derry-Armagh showdown.

Dublin are poised to be in Group 3 along with the Connacht runners-up, which should be Sligo, Roscommon and Kildare, who pushed the Dubs all the way to the wire last weekend before falling a couple of points short.

Clare, who defeated Cork in the Munster semi-final by a point, will be joined by the Ulster champions and two more northern teams in Monaghan and Donegal in Group 4.

The draw for the Tailteann Cup was also made and it features a Munster championship repeat between Tipperary and Waterford in Group 2, which also contains Meath and Down.

All-Ireland SFC: Group 1: Kerry/Clare, Dublin/Louth, Mayo, Cork.

Group 2: Galway/Sligo, Derry/Armagh, Tyrone, Westmeath.

Group 3: Dublin/Louth, Galway/Sligo, Roscommon, Kildare.

Group 4: Armagh/Derry, Kerry/Clare, Monaghan, Donegal.

Tailteann Cup: Group 1: Cavan, Offaly, Laois, London.

Group 2: Meath, Down, Tipperary, Waterford.

Group 3: Limerick, Wicklow, Longford, Carlow.

Group 4: Fermanagh, Antrim, Wexford, Leitrim.