MUNSTER SFC SEMI-FINAL REPLAY: CONOR COUNIHAN laid out a high -tempo game plan from the outset and his Cork players possess the fitness levels to sustain a running game for 70 minutes.
Kerry must use the next few weeks to try and reach such a plateau because right now they are way off the pace set by their old rivals.
It’s a familiar problem but Cork are not the team of recent seasons. Maybe they have peaked too soon again but they look to have another few gears in them. Kerry must regroup with a month of soul-searching and punishing training session. They need to increase their fitness levels but really they need to get Donaghy back because there is no focal point in that forward line without him. That is where their hope now lies.
The Cork running game gives their backs licence to come forward. They are sure with their passing, rarely turning over ball. The Kerry men didn’t have the legs to cover the bustling charges of John Miskella, Michael Shields and the outstanding Graham Canty.
Alan O’Connor facilitated all this with a stand-out, athletic display in midfield. It was obvious Darragh Ó Sé was struggling as events whizzed past him. Darragh has always been a leader for Kerry on the field but it is pretty sad to see inter-county championship pace make him look a pale shadow of his former self. He can still play a significant part in Kerry’s qualifier campaign but as an impact substitute.
In the drawn game I felt the Kerry fullback line did a solid containing job on James Masters, Daniel Goulding and Donnacha O’Connor but the Cork trio’s movement, facilitated by the excellent and unchallenged supply line, proved the difference here. O’Connor excelled as did Goulding, the missed goal chances aside.
When recognising performances, Anthony Lynch’s efficient shut-down job on Colm Cooper was what corner back play is all about. That said, Cooper is struggling without Kieran Donaghy and this was not helped by a struggling Tommy Walsh who is not fit.
Kerry’s modern approach is to utilise a target man, ensuring Cooper doesn’t have to win the dropping ball. This is Donaghy’s role in the team. Lynch dominated Cooper as a result. The clever use of Pearse O’Neill on Cork kick-outs, towering over Aidan O’Mahony at centre back, who was unable to mark him effectively from behind, proved effective. It proved a physical mismatch.
Tadhg Kennelly had a good first half but faded when he was most needed in the decisive moments. They need to give him a more central role in the team, get him on the ball with increased regularity. Kerry got a lift from David Moran’s arrival into midfield and he looks to have done enough to become a starter henceforth.
After Kerry’s perfect start to the second-half, the loss of Marc Ó Sé to injury was eventually exposed by the penalty when Padraig Reidy was caught ball-watching. Also, Killian Young is a footballing half back not a tight marking corner back. It showed.
There was no way back for Kerry once O’Connor’s penalty ricocheted in off the post.
Darran O’Sullivan’s pace made an impact and that type of player was needed, strange then that Seán O’Sullivan was not used.
It is about heart now for Kerry. Do they want to make the effort? Most of these players have been at this for a number of years and they must now question their appetite. Jack O’Connor faces some ruthless decisions.
It is difficult to comment on the red cards as it was off the ball but Pat McEnaney is the best referee I’ve seen and I would trust his call. The Monaghan man keeps the game flowing, and has a third eye on matters off the ball by maintaining regular communication channels with his linesmen and umpires.
Noel O’Leary ruined it for Cork last week when his actions led to Bryan Sheehan’s free being bought well within range. Putting Paul Galvin and O’Leary together was a recipe for disaster; they always play on the edge and there must have been no odds on the red cards as soon as they began rubbing shoulders. The loss of Galvin suited Cork down to the ground as it created additional space for the running game and removed Kerry’s breaking ball expert.
The biggest change in Cork this year is the strength of their bench. Fintan Goold, Colm O’Neill, Paul O’Flynn and even Michael Cussen are available when necessary. Counihan has a steady, cool influence on the team. This composure radiates throughout the panel and how he introduces high-quality players to sustain their intensity has been the most impressive aspect of his management. That’s what makes them real All-Ireland contenders.
In Leinster, Kildare under Kieran McGeeney are becoming a well-drilled outfit. They seem to have bought into the former Armagh defender’s team ethic, defending in numbers and shifting possession quickly to the man in the best position.
James Kavanagh and Alan Smith have taken the scoring burden off Johnny Doyle’s shoulders, while Dermot Earley is in great condition and reaping the benefits late in an already fine career.
Their defeat of Wexford was expected but the efficiency of their play makes them potential provincial champions. I see no reason why they cannot challenge Dublin, well, they may have to stop spilling balls in the tackle and be more clinical in the shooting stakes but that can be addressed at training.
Wexford have multiple problems, having seriously regressed after last year’s impressive run to the All-Ireland semi-final. Jason Ryan has a mammoth task on his hands now. Fitness, like down in Kerry, seems like a primary issue. The qualifiers, however, are not the safest of paths this summer.
