John Fintan Daly: Cork footballers are a reactionary team

Former All-Ireland U21 winning Cork football manager and ex-senior selector John Fintan Daly has called the Rebels 'a reactionary team'.

After such a brilliant performance in the narrow extra-time loss to Kerry in the Munster semi-final last month, the Leesiders were well below their best at the weekend.

John Cleary’s side lost 1-13 to 0-12 against Meath in the All-Ireland SFC Group 2 Round 1 encounter at Páirc Tailteann last Saturday.

After beating Donegal 12 months ago, it’s now four championship defeats in the last five games for the Rebels.

“There’s a fairly obvious pattern over the last 10 years, Cork are what I would call, a reactionary team," said Daly, a multiple county championship winning coach with Duhallow and his native Knocknagree.

"On their day, Cork can beat anyone, but they have never shown any consistency. I think it’s a mental thing.

“If you take two years ago for example, Cork went to Limerick and knocked Mayo out of the All-Ireland championship. Last year, Donegal were the headline act, they came down to Leeside and we beat them.

“We had beaten the top team in our group, which followed the win over Clare. Two wins from two in the group and looking like Cork would finish first. All of a sudden, we got beaten above in Tullamore against Tyrone, a game we should have won and ended up playing an All-Ireland preliminary quarter-final and due to scoring difference, played away to Louth and lost.

“You go into this season, we haven't beaten any big team yet. We pushed Kerry as close as you can go and then got beaten by Meath at the weekend. A game that was set up for us to win. Meath were there for the taking.

“So, here you go again, the reactionary aspect of the group. That has been their major downfall. On paper, the team that Cork had out against Meath was stronger than the one they put out against Kerry.” 

Whatever about the result, which was disappointing, Daly wasn’t impressed with Cork’s performance on a day when Meath weren’t at their very best. They didn’t have to be.

“It took Meath 20 minutes to do anything,” he says.

“Cork were in an ideal position. They had five weeks to prepare and they had a block of training done. They had a good look at Meath in the Leinster final. Everything was set up for Cork to win.

“There was a lack of connectivity from Cork at the weekend. There was no rhythm or pattern to their game. They were playing in fits and starts. Even Brian O’Driscoll, I think he has been Cork’s MVP this year, he looked jaded. 

"We did miss Seán Walsh in midfield, who I rate highly. With all due respects to Ian Maguire and Colm O’Callaghan, they were running out of steam in midfield.

“It was a disappointing performance. Cork have just been plodding along, mid-table in Division 2 and never putting a serious run of results together to be ever in contention for promotion. We have become a mid-table team just bouncing along in the middle of the table.” 

Cork take on old rivals Kerry in the second game of the group this Saturday in SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh with throw-in at 4.45pm.