Promotion quest reduces rotation luxury for Cork footballers
Daniel O'Mahony is one of three ever-presents for Cork in the Allianz FL Division 2 campaign so far. Picture: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile
Last week, we looked at the dispersal of minutes among the Cork hurling squad after three rounds in the national league.
While there have been three victories in both codes, the levels of rotation have been quite contrasting. Where Ben O’Connor and his selectors have used 28 players, with 22 starters, in moving to the top of Division 1A of the hurling league, 26 footballers have seen game-time with 21 of them starting.
From Cork’s opener against Waterford to the second outing against Galway, there were four changes and then six for the third clash, at home to Tipperary. While the footballers have not been averse to reshuffling, the Louth match brought three compared to the opener against Cavan and there was the same number for the trip to Tullamore to take on Offaly last Sunday.
Seán Brady is 21st in the list of minutes with 60, but the next after him is the 18 that Cathail O’Mahony played off the bench against Offaly. While the Mitchelstown man was ruled out prior to that, another forward – David Buckley – has not seen any action, despite impressive for Newcestown during their run to last year’s McCarthy Insurance Group Premier SFC semi-finals.
Of the team that started the McGrath Cup win over Kerry last month, Jacob O’Driscoll, Conor Cahalane have been limited to brief cameos in the league while Conor Daly, who came on against the Kingdom, has similarly been kept in reserve bar a two-minute outing against Louth.
The lower numbers in the football can perhaps be put down the need for promotion whereas the hurlers have the luxury of greater experimentation. However, one could also make the case that, if a return to Division 1 is to be achieved after a decade away – or if progress is to be made in the championship – then a deep squad will be required and for that to materialise, more players will need exposure to competitive football.
With Cork’s next opponents – Meath, who come to Páirc Uí Rinn next Sunday – the only other team on six points, that clash now takes on extra significance as the winners will be on the brink of securing promotion. To that end, dramatic changes are unlikely for Cork.
Then, even if Cork do make it four wins from four games, the remaining three fixtures are against Derry, Kildare and Tyrone, all tough challenges, especially with the rising stakes as the finish-line nears.
Daniel O’Mahony, Luke Fahy (0-3), Colm O’Callaghan (2-2); Seán McDonnell (0-6, 1 2pt); Patrick Doyle; Mark Cronin (1-13, 0-4 f, 0-1 m); Chris Óg Jones (1-4); Paul Walsh (0-2);Steven Sherlock (0-17, 2 2ptf, 1 2pt, 0-2 f, 0-1 45); Maurice Shanley; Tommy Walsh (0-1), Matty Taylor; Brian O’Driscoll; Brian Hurley (0-5, 2 2pt); Rory Maguire; Seán Walsh (0-1); Dara Sheedy (0-1); Ian Maguire; Ruairí Deane (0-1); Seán Meehan; Seán Brady; Cathail O’Mahony; Micheál Aodh Martin; Conor Cahalane;Conor Daly; Jacob O’Driscoll.
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