Deserted and defeated: Footballers left to sink by Cork fans in Páirc Uí Chaoimh
Cork's Conor Cahalane after defeat to Roscommon. Picture: ©INPHO/Bryan Keane
A triple header of Gaelic games, with two brilliant results at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh. Cork’s ladies’ footballers took off in the second half and decimated Roscommon.
The Cork hurlers gave the late Ray Ryan a beautiful send off, and manager Pat some reprieve after a tragic week for him and his family.
But then it came to the men’s footballers, and that crunch league decider with the Rossies. Cleary’s side already under pressure before a ball was thrown.
Bust.
The cycle continues for the Cork footballers. Flatter to deceive when the chance to progress is there for the taking.
All the talk around Cork’s time in Division 2, how long and undesirable their stay at this grade has been. Now we face yet another year of the group failing to hit their own target.
Remaining in the second tier for 2025 is now the goal. How achievable that will be, who knows.
Down and Westmeath will likely result in two points going the way of the Mournemen. Cork’s meetings with Louth and Cavan are impossible to call. Anywhere between zero and four points are possible from those fixtures.
That’s the thing with Cork football – you never really know. You can never truly count this team out against a Roscommon or a Monaghan – but at the same time Down and Westmeath are never games certain to be won.
It’s because they do apply the effort, you can see that on the pitch. Even if elements of Saturday’s performance were not good enough.
Needless slips in discipline, occurring long before the game was lost. It’s not a good look to see a team showing their frustration like this when the game isn’t yet out of their hands.
But can you blame them? It’s telling of the current situation with Cork football.
And I’m not just talking about within the camp. It’s clear that confidence is low.
Confidence that will certainly have taken another hefty hit after that 14-point defeat. But the humiliation of seeing the crowd evaporate before a ball was thrown in only adds to that.
How can we expect the players not to be frustrated when spectators in their thousands are departing minutes before throw-in? What are the players supposed to do?
It doesn’t excuse the performance – which was far from acceptable.
But the players head out onto the pitch at half time of Cork and Kilkenny and see a crowd of 22,000. When they return for throw-in with Roscommon about a quarter of that remains. You cannot say that doesn’t have an impact.
It’s unfair on those who represent Cork with the same effort as the hurlers. It’s a shame that supporters couldn’t even give them the first half, while they wait for the crowds to disperse outside.
At the same time – you can’t expect fans to sit there and watch the pummelling Cleary’s side faced. The supporters, players and management all deserve better.
We all want Cork football to improve, and getting to Division 1 is integral if they are to do so. Everything we can do to help achieve that goal needs to be done.
Why would the footballers not be the curtain raiser for the hurlers? It would be a great way to garner the interest from those who haven’t watched a football game since before the implementation of the new rules.
It’s insulting to the players, who now have to pick themselves up and play two tough league games against Cavan and Louth – who will certainly have the support of their counties.
We want Cork football to be better, but the players and management have been drawn the shortest of straws.
Where is that unwavering love for all things Cork when it’s needed?
It’s unrealistic to expect 22,000 people, most of whom are hurling fans – stay for a game they don’t want to watch. Fair enough. But can you imagine if they did?
It's likely those players would have given Roscommon a serious challenge. They certainly wouldn’t have suffered a 14-point beatdown.
App?
