Christy O'Connor: Cork hurlers coughed up 1-15 from turnovers in Clare, it's a big issue to resolve

DESPITE the hurley being pulled out of Ciarán Joyce’s hand by David Fitzgerald under a long Clare puck-out in the 58th minute of Sunday’s game, Joyce still managed to hold off Fitzgerald under the challenge before picking up the ball after it hopped off the ground and then being dragged down by Peter Duggan.

After Patrick Horgan drove the free over the bar, a trickle of excitement finally began to course through the Cork crowd in Cusack Park. After barely getting the chance to open their mouths over the previous 20 minutes – apart from venting their anger and frustration – the Cork supporters finally had something to shout about.

Although Cork had done well on the Clare puck-out in the first half, they were finally beginning to punish Clare off that possession. They won the next Clare puck-out too and, while Cork turned over that possession, which led to another Mark Rodgers free, the outstanding Joyce reduced it back to four again.

After Cork also secured the next Clare puck-out, Joyce played a long ball into Seán Twomey, who was fouled by Conor Cleary. A Patrick Horgan free was immediately followed by a Conor Lehane score to reduce the deficit to two.

Five points in six minutes, four sourced directly from the Clare restart, Cork suddenly appeared to have Clare by the throat. With seven minutes of normal time still to play, Cork had all the momentum. 

And then they surrendered it.

Clare turned over a long ball played into the Cork attack, Clare were allowed work the ball out too easily, before Fitzgerald played a sublime pass across the centre of the Cork defence to Seadna Morey, who batted the ball past Pa Collins. Cork kept going but the game was over.

It’s only the first round of the league but this was still a disappointing result for Cork, on a number of fronts – because the issues which crippled Cork last summer were still evident again.

One of the most destabilising aspects of Cork’s performances last year was how much damage the opposition inflicted when Cork faded out of games, with Clare, Tipperary and Limerick really punishing them last May when Cork switched off.

Limerick’s six unanswered points in 10 minutes in the second half left Cork with too much ground to make up. It was a similar trend in their previous two games; Clare were ahead by eight in the third quarter; Cork trailed Tipp by five with 15 minutes remaining.

Sunday carried similar echoes as Cork tried to hunt Clare down late on, before again coming up short. And the damage was done from another fade-out, this time in the third quarter.

Cork were in a great position at half-time having played against the breeze, but they collapsed that platform by conceding three points from frees inside the opening four minutes. 

Clare had only two more shots than Cork (9-7) in that third quarter but Clare converted seven of those chances, with Cork only nailing one.

Aside from some of the wayward shooting that pockmarked that period, the most destabilising aspect was how Cork conceded those scores – six of those seven points came from turnovers.

PUNISHED

In total, Cork coughed up 1-15 from turnovers, which was another big issue last season. Breaking down those numbers even more, 1-3 of that total conceded came from ball played into the Cork full-forward line that they failed to win.

The Clare goal was another example of the opposition being able to work the ball too easily up the field without enough heat being applied by the Cork forwards. Every team will get scores off opposition turnovers but, once more, Clare were able to pick out their passes around the middle far too easily.

Pat Ryan said afterwards that Cork “could have worked the ball a bit better, sharper into our inside line” but making it stick inside continues to be an issue.

After winning three of the first four balls into their forwards, those numbers collapsed for the remainder of the first quarter as the next seven were turned over. In total, Cork only won 12 of the 30 long or medium balls played into their attack, only mining 0-4 from that possession. Robbie O’Flynn did play a sublime short dink-pass for Tommy O’Connell’s goal but making those longer passes stick is the key issue.

Cork did cause Clare big problems when they ran at them through the centre in the first half. Cork played better against the breeze but Clare also cut down that space in the second half. Cork were forced to shoot more from out the field and, while they converted 10 of their last 12 shots in the fourth quarter, Cork were always trying to make up for the damage inflicted in the third quarter.

It’s only February. Cork still have some big names to return. Nobody will be panicking yet, but Ryan and his management still need to ask some hard questions.

Why are some of the same mistakes still happening? If some of the same players are repeating those mistakes, or are not working hard enough in games, hard calls may have to be made sooner rather than later.

After losing their last two championship games by one point, albeit to Clare and Limerick, another priority this spring had to be winning tight games. This was another one-score game lost but, in reality, it was another late chase that came up short because Cork gave the opposition too much of a head start.

Cork still have time to iron out some of those creases. But unless some of the same things change, nothing will ever really change.