'He made a big difference, it didn't faze him' - Cork debutant Dara Sheedy catches the eye

The Cork footballers are up and running in the Allianz Division 2 Football League after a topsy-turvy Round 1 game with Cavan.

It had looked like that the visitors would emerge from SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Sunday afternoon with a win.

They led by seven points before Cork landed the last eight scores with super-sub Steven Sherlock getting the winner after he pointed a two-point free.

The Rebels won on a scoreline of 0-24 to 2-17.

Cork manager John Cleary was delighted with his side’s game management especially in the final quarter when it could have been very easy to feel sorry for themselves.

“This team is fairly mature. We’ve been on the road three, four, five years together and we’ve been in this position before. 

“The more experienced fellas, the likes of Ian Maguire, Steven Sherlock and others, they came on and got us over the line.” 

While it was a collective effort in the last quarter when the chips were down, the Cork boss had special praise for debutant Dara Sheedy.

The Bantry Blues forward came on in the second half to such great effect. His direct running and pace helped Cork reel in their opposition.

“In fairness to Dara Sheedy on his debut, he made a big difference. It didn’t faze him, he got on an awful lot of ball. There was a lot of pressure out there for every ball. 

"He was getting on the end of every ball. I thought he drove us on there, particularly when Cavan got a bit tired.” 

Cavan were excellent for the majority and ultimately they just ran out of gas in the last quarter. They had many impressive performers, none more so than Dara McVeety.

He was named at centre-back but he played in the forward line. He scored 1-4, all from play, and Cork’s inability to lock him down is something that Cleary will look at.

“Yeah, it is,” the Castlehaven clubman replied when asked if it is disappointing that McVeety was on the ball so much.

“We’ll have a look at it and see where that came from or whatever. At times Cavan seemed to take over big time around the middle of the field, particularly Gearóid McKiernan. He came out and we just couldn’t cope.

“But I think we got more bodies in there in the end and the lads just broke ball left, right and centre whereas in the first half and up to then we weren’t picking up the breaks.

“I think in the last five minutes there we picked up three or four vital breaks which was the reason we got over the line.”