John Cleary on Rory Maguire and Conor Cahalane playing for Castlehaven in crucial league game: A non-story, total nonsense

Cork manager John Cleary has described Rory Maguire and Conor Cahalane playing for Castlehaven in a recent league game as "a non-story".

The debate around the release of players has been bubbling along over two weeks on from the pair being allowed to play for their club the day after the Meath loss, but more pressing, six days before the Kerry contest. They had come on as second-half subs in the four-point loss above in Navan.

Maguire and Cahalane then played most of the Haven's victory over Carrigaline in what was a huge relegation contest in the McCarthy Insurance Group Division 1 Football League.

Cleary wasn’t asked the question after the heavy loss to the Kingdom for obvious reasons. But when asked on Tuesday, he took offence to the question. Maguire and Cahalane were the only players from the Cork bench in the defeat against Meath to play under 24 hours later for the club.

“Yeah, of course the players were aware," he said when asked if all subs from the Meath game were aware that they were allowed to line out for their club on the Sunday.

"As far as I am concerned, it’s a non-story, total nonsense. Players were aware that they could play the day after Meath.”

On injuries, Cork have more or less a full squad to pick from going into this weekend’s must-win clash against Roscommon.

The teams meet on Saturday in the All-Ireland SFC Group 2 Round 3 tie in Laois Hire O'Moore Park with throw-in at 4.15pm. It’s quite simple, the winners progress to the All-Ireland preliminary quarter-final while for the losers, it will be season over. A draw would do the Rossies.

Conor Corbett is in contention to be part of the matchday squad at the weekend as is Tommy Walsh.

“I don’t think we have anybody out as such for the weekend,” Cleary said. 

“Kevin O’Donovan is out long-term, the rest are free from injury, yeah. Conor Corbett got a bit of a setback there, maybe three or four weeks ago, a muscular injury, which often happens after cruciates, but he’s on the mend.

“Tommy Walsh is on the mend too. We suffered a few knocks and bruises against Kerry, but nothing of major consequence.” 

Cleary is content with the mood in the camp going into such a massive game. The Rebels are hoping to avoid a fourth successive championship loss.

“The mood is quite good. After the Meath match, we got no time to recover really, you know, got home and you got prepared then for the following weekend against Kerry.

“Maybe a day or two after the Kerry match, maybe heads were down. But the very fact we had an extra week, I think by the end of last week, you know, lads were back up again because they realised that we have another chance. 

"If we had beaten Kerry, we’d be exactly in the same position this weekend. We have to win. It’s all about getting momentum and look, the lads are in very good form.”