What we learned from Cork's first league game: Defensive frailties and Sherlock impact

Ben O’Connor spoke about Cork’s sizzling start setting the tone for the rest of the day against Waterford. 

The Newtownshandrum birthday boy and John Cleary will be hoping their opening wins can go one step further and set the tone for the year ahead.

O’Connor, who turned 47 on Sunday, will simply be glad to have his tenure up and running. 

For Cleary, defeat against Cavan would’ve tinged the mood for their Division 2 campaign. That fate looked likely as they trailed by seven points with just over 10 minutes left on the clock.

It was an interesting experience at the Páirc as the growing crowd across the early afternoon appeared to become restless with Cork’s overelaboration on the ball in the second half. 

There were calls of 'shoot!' as players approached the arc and groans when the ball was recycled.

Once the Rebels were forced to chase the game and began to gain traction, the masses rowed in to roar their troops home and were a significant factor in the outcome. Where their promotion prospects would’ve been written off on the hour, they could look ahead with hope by the 70th minute.

Cleary’s analysis will dwell longest on the period from just after half-time until the hour where Cork were outscored by 1-9 to 0-2. For eight of those 22 minutes, they even played with an extra man, only to leak three needless points.

UNDER PRESSURE

There was an element of edginess as the men in red coughed up a two-point free for failing to keep three defenders in their own half. 

That was their second costly technical infringement. Cavan’s other two-pointer came from the hosts failing to hand the ball back to an opponent in midfield.

In defence, Cork were carved open for two goal chances in the space of three minutes. They struggled to deal with the exceptional Dara McVeety, who scored 1-4 and assisted 1-4.

In attack, Cork’s wide count spiked with five in that spell. Three of those were launched from outside the arc, signalling a loss of composure. Overall, they converted four of their 11 orange-flag attempts. That made the manner in which Cork regained their poise all the more impressive.

It centred around the midfield battle. Where they couldn’t seem to crack the Cavan centrefield pairing in the third quarter, they could hardly lose a break in that final 10 minutes. Once Seán McDonnell, Steven Sherlock, and Mark Cronin reeled off four points in three minutes, it was a one-score game. 

The psychology of the contest had transformed. Now, Cavan were making mistakes.

Ultimately, Sherlock was the differential from his 53rd-minute introduction. Given the volume of two-point openings, it looked like his sort of game. He laid on the penultimate score for Chris Óg Jones and then drew the two-point free to convert the winner.

The Rebel inside line was settled throughout 2025. Cronin, Brian Hurley, and Jones started together in every game they were available for all season. Cronin and Jones each played over 98% of the possible minutes across the league and championship. But maximising Sherlock’s impact remains key for Cork’s chances.

On a rare occasion where Matty Taylor didn’t start in the number seven jersey, Luke Fahy laid down a marker with two points and was fouled for another. Debutant Dara Sheedy was notably busy in possession off the bench.

Cork would’ve liked a goal or some better goal chances. McDonnell had two – one fired wide after Brian O’Driscoll hit the post from distance, and another saved by Liam Brady. That’s now nine times Cork have been shut out in their last 13 games.

On the whole, consistency remains the big question after a performance that fluctuated between impressive and lacklustre. Still, their afternoon’s work was made more promising by promotion favourites Derry and Tyrone dropping early points.

Although the hurling was the main event, the football was the game of greater substance. That was due to the chasm between a weakened Waterford team and a Cork side hitting their straps right from the first whistle.

BATTLE

It was heartening for fans to witness the fundamentals installed during Pat Ryan’s term being built upon by O’Connor. That team still has a Hurler of the Year nominee, the All-Star wing-back, and two further 2024 All-Stars to reintegrate. The battle for places will feel even more open under new management this spring.

William Buckley took his opportunity well, mirroring Pádraig Power’s 1-4 haul on the opening day last year. The St Finbarr’s man will face a tougher examination on Wednesday when taking on a UL half-back line of Colin Coughlan, Mark Fitzgerald, and Cathal O’Neill in the Fitzgibbon Cup quarter-final.