Cork are a different proposition for teams because of the new two-point rule

Since Cork’s All-Ireland triumph over Down in 2010 it is difficult to think of a more satisfying Cork championship victory than Saturday’s shock win over one of the All-Ireland favourites Donegal in Ballybofey.

Cork were rewarded for their bravery on Saturday as the courage to take on two-pointers proved to be the difference between the sides.

John Cleary’s team had ten pops at the posts from outside the arc with them landing six. 

To compare, Donegal only attempt two, with them failing to land either of them. That’s a huge twelve points to zero swing in Cork’s favour. 

In old money Cork would have lost the game by 1-13 to 0-11, but the new rules have transformed the game, and the game in Ballybofey was the perfect example of how a positive approach under the rules can win out over a conservative set-up.

A lot of GAA people would be of the opinion that, if presented with the choice, one should always play with the wind in the first half of matches and build a lead, and then hang on, but the evidence of this year would suggest otherwise.

Saturday was a prime example, and we will return to how a wind-assisted late scoring burst won it for Cork, but Cork’s previous brilliant comeback victory over Meath also had this narrative, as Cork utilised the breeze at their backs that day in Páirc Uí Rinn to reel the Royals in after being eight down at half time.

The Munster Hurling Final was similar. Cork only led by a couple points that day at the break and were still leading late on in the game, but Limerick were always the side most likely to have a scoring burst with the elements in their favour, and that is what transpired.

Saturday’s minor All-Ireland hurling semi-final was a further exhibit of this. 

Tipp having the wind in the last few minutes allowed them to hit the front at the right time and when Cork started chasing goals the young Premier side were able to pick them off with a late scoring burst to pull well clear.

Cork did similar on Saturday. They kept matters at a slow pace for as long as possible, like a boxer happy to jab away in the early rounds and keep a fight nice and tight. 

This prevented Donegal from registering any orange flags when they had the wind in the opening half. The five point half time deficit was therefore a result for Cork.

The third quarter was nothing special. Cork stayed in touch but had made no lunge for victory. 

Indeed, they were still five points in arrears when Steven Sherlock clipper over a 45 in the 54th minute, but when captain Ian Maguire added another a minute later there was only three in it and it was game on.

Donegal were probably not overly concerned though, but this changed in the space of 120 seconds from the 59th minute when first Luke Fahy and then Tommy Walsh rifled over two of the most ridiculous two-pointers anyone will see in championship football this year.

Fahy’s was a wonderful long-ranger off the outside of his boot from well outside the arc that cleared the crossbar with plenty to spare, but Tommy Walsh’s score that followed it was a bit special. 

He won the ball on the deck in his own half, burst between two Donegal players, shrugged off another, and while falling he launched the ball off the outside of the boot from the wrong side of the 45 line and yet the ball flew between the posts.

Cork had parked the jabs and had taken to swinging, and landing, haymakers. When Walsh’s effort sailed over Donegal knew they were in dire trouble.

It was great to see Cork going for the jugular too. When they were awarded a free close-in in the 66th minute with the sides locked together at 1-12 to 0-15 the easy thing would have been to just chip the ball over from the 21 yard line to grab a one-point lead, but Steven Sherlock had other ideas, as he relished in the responsibility of going back to the arc and going for the Donegal throat as he wanted the two points. 

He delivered.

Compare that to the Tyrone v Mayo game when Sam Callinan had the opportunity to go for a goal in the 68th minute when the scores were level but he opted for the safety of the one-pointer. 

He was to regret that decision only a matter of seconds later when Tyrone goalkeeper Niall Morgan slotted a huge two-pointer to win it for the Ulster men. Given Cork only ended up winning by one that brave decision by Sherlock proved crucial.

 Fortune favours the brave, and all that.