A split shift in goal offers Cork different kickout pictures in McGrath Cup win

Cork’s McGrath Cup win over Kerry brought a welcome change of outcomes if little else, but with the whole host of variety in John Cleary’s set up, it meant that both halves felt like two completely different games.

And, with Cleary giving Patrick Doyle the first half and Micheál Aodh Martin the second, both supporters and the management team were given a chance to see two vastly different approaches.

Cork’s kickouts were both very different between the two halves, too, and beyond just the retention rates and the areas targeted by the two goalkeepers, but also for how they defended Kerry’s restarts.

Doyle spent much of the first half travelling up towards the half-way line to create a wide line of usually five players across the middle third, while a smaller line of three would sit in front. That approach didn’t actually hamper Kerry’s success rate in that area of the pitch too much, though it did force Shane Ryan to go shorter probably more often than he would have liked.

And it was a failed short kickout that gave Mark Cronin the 17th minute goal chance he failed to convert. Cork were only able to turn over one other Kerry restart in the opening period.

By contrast, the Rebels struggled out wide and in the middle third. Just three restarts beyond the half-way line in that first half were retained by Cork.

The second half brought improvement, and of course, Martin’s introduction. He opted not to venture forward and join in Cork’s kickout setup when Kerry were in possession, while the entire team changed their approach to follow the Kerry runners rather than try and cover the middle third with a blanket effect.

It worked a little better in that it forced Kerry to go wide with kickouts, but Cork suffered similar issues when Martin tried to target half-way.

Both teams had much better success on the flanks, while Cork’s starbust pattern-like approach to retaining their own kickouts was the biggest difference.

The Rebels went from retaining just five of 11 restarts in the first half to five of eight in the second in Killarney, for an overall of 10 from 19 (53.6%).

Kerry finished with an impressive 72.2% retention rate on their own kickouts, a total of 13 from 18. In the first half they managed seven from nine, in the latter their return dropped to six from nine.

It is clear, from the McGrath Cup final at least, that Cork still have a little work to do in the kickout department. Ian Maguire’s absence in that regard was certainly felt, though Colm O’Callaghan delivered in that regard as usual, while Seán McDonnell also did well in the aerial duels.

Nonetheless, it’s been a positive start to the season. How Cork build from here is absolutely crucial. They must win on Sunday against Cavan.