Analysis: Improving kick-outs key to Cork footballers making a mark this summer

A strange game at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh where Cork roared into a 15-point lead against the wind and still had more than enough to beat Limerick and reach the Munster semi-final.

The second half was a major disappointment but leaves John Cleary and his selectors with plenty to improve on before facing Tipperary in two weeks.

Cork were raging favourites, given they’re now promoted to Division 1 and Limerick will compete in Division 4 next season. Across the first half that gap between the counties was a chasm, Cork moving the ball at pace through the middle third and engineering goals from deep through Dara Sheedy, Tommy Walsh, Ian Maguire and Seán McDonnell.

Brian O’Driscoll, Luke Fahy and Paul Walsh were to the fore while Mark Cronin and Steven Sherlock combined for 0-7. Chris Óg Jones wasn’t heavily involved, though he did score and set up a goal, but he wasn’t needed in that opening 35 minutes.

That’s because Cork had scoring threats from every angle and it was 4-10 to 0-7 at the break for the hosts with the breeze to come.

Now they were never going to be as tuned in for the second half given the game was effectively over but there were some issues ahead of that provincial semi against Tipp.

Kick-outs are certainly a major concern. 

Patrick Doyle was the first choice throughout the league but after the final where, in the second half especially, Meath put the squeeze on, they pivoted back to Micheál Aodh Martin. Doyle had got ahead of the Nemo netminder on the basis of his range of deliveries so it was a surprise when the team was unveiled.

Cork only secured 10 of their 25 restarts on Sunday where Limerick gained possession from 20 of their 27. In the second half with the aid of the strong wind, you’d have expected Cork to gain a platform from kick-outs but they lost six.

That included five in a 10-minute period after the resumption when they were outscored 1-5 to zero. As a consequence, Cork didn’t raise a flag in the second half until the 50th minute and what should have been a very comfortable second half was a slog.

It didn’t help that Brian O’Driscoll was black-carded preventing a goal that ended up in a converted penalty anyway and then saw red on his return. 

O’Driscoll was pretty unlucky however, as Martin had committed the offence for the penalty and the second call against him looked harsh.

Limerick showed great character in that second period but fadeouts plagued Cork during the league, even when winning six of their seven games to gain promotion.

HIDING TO NOTHING

Yet it’s hard to be overly critical because in these types of matches you’re on a hiding to nothing. Win by too much and you’ll be told you’re not after being challenged and let the opposition go toe-to-toe and you’re off the pace.

On the plus side, Conor Cahalane landed three points off the bench and Conor Corbett got a run as he looks to put his injuries behind him. Sheedy is U20 but clearly a class act.

To make in-roads this summer though, improving the kick-outs is key.