MUNSTER SFC KERRY v CORK:CONOR COUNIHAN is asked about beating Kerry and, at this time of the summer at least, it is not that unnerving a question for any Cork man, never mind the football manager. Cork know how to overcome their ancient rivals in the Munster championship. A trip to Killarney holds little fear either.
That Kerry have lost or dropped their two greatest players of recent times (Colm Cooper excluded) makes the meeting a little strange.
Usually, losing players of Kieran Donaghy’s calibre to injury, and with Darragh Ó Sé seemingly unable to regain the fitness level required to feature from the start, would cripple any team. But Gaelic football is not your usual sport, Kerry not your usual team.
The prodigal son, Tadhg Kennelly, is back from Sydney a while now and having reacclimatised finally makes a long overdue championship bow against Cork’s twin towers, Alan O’Connor and Nicholas Murphy. Tommy Walsh moves into full forward in place of Donaghy.
Counihan fails to spot any weaknesses. “They have a serious strength in depth and the fact several players have come in means there is an unknown quality to them now. It would freshen any team up.”
We ask whether this Cork panel have got over the mental deficiencies that see them struggle against a green and gold outfit in full flow, although maybe this question should be saved for a later date.
“Without a doubt we will know a bit more come Sunday. We are always trying to learn from matches with Kerry, but last year was quite close. We have a more mature, more experienced team now. Maybe, some might say, too mature and too experienced!
“But we shall see. In terms of last year, we beat them once, drew with them and lost one, and even in that defeat we held our own. There is no major mental block with us.”
The other issue floating about Cork GAA at present is the loss of Ciarán Sheehan to the Carlton Blues AFL franchise. Whenever a young Cork player sticks his head above the parapet the Blues seem to be the Aussie Rules club doing the poaching.
Aisake Ó hAilpín and Michael Shields have been and returned, with both men easing back into the red of their native county. Shields surely benefited from the, albeit short-lived, professional lifestyle as his muscular frame will seek to envelope Walsh at Fitzgerald Stadium.
The youngest Ó hAilpín made a swashbuckling senior hurling debut against Tipperary last Sunday, while middle brother Setanta – about to make his 50th appearance for the Blues — is due to welcome Sheehan in July for pre-season training.
Counihan, however, is not convinced the teenager, so impressive in Cork’s march to the under-21 All-Ireland title, is lost forever to the GAA. “It is not conclusive yet. He is going for a period of time to train. He has been training with us and the under-21s this year, but is doing his Leaving Cert at the minute. We shall see.”
