SO, here we go again. Cork v Kerry. But the modern-day version of this rivalry is increasingly lopsided, and not in Cork’s favour.
In the championship the Rebels have only beaten Kerry once in the last 12 years and that was a last-minute goal in extra-time in 2020. We have to go back to 2012 for the last time Cork beat their rivals in front of a crowd, as the 2020 Munster SFC semi-final was behind closed doors due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Cork have a chance to address this poor run of form when the counties meet in the Munster SFC semi-final on Saturday, April 19th.
The last two games between the neighbours ended in two-point (1-14 to 0-15 in 2023) and three-point (0-18 to 1-12, 2024) defeats for Cork. By that logic, the Leesiders are getting closer?
Performances against bigger opposition would suggest that Cork are capable of pulling off shock wins. Beat Donegal in 2024. Beat Mayo in 2023. Beat Roscommon in 2023.
‘We had our difficulties in the middle of the league and as it turned out, if we had beaten Down, which we should have, we would have got promotion,’ Cork boss John Cleary admitted.
‘We’re in between challenging the top teams and being that small bit behind. (Against Kerry) will tell us a lot about where we are.’
This is a Kerry team that is just off the back of winning the Division 1 league title, defeating Mayo 1-18 to 1-12 in Croke Park. With two other comprehensive wins over Armagh (2-21 to 0-17) and Galway (3-24 to 2-19) prior to that, this has the feel of Jack O’Connor’s men peaking at the right time.
‘There’s no point in beating around the bush: Kerry are the top team in Ireland at the moment,’ Cleary said.
‘We saw what they did in Croke Park (for the league final). The new rules, they seem to be getting (used) to them big time. We face a big big challenge. All we can do is learn, dust ourselves down and get ready for Páirc Uí Chaoimh.
‘We would need to be better than that (the win against Limerick). I have no doubt we will be better. Whether it is good enough to beat Kerry is another question.’
In terms of recent form, Cork have won three games in a row over Louth, Cavan and Limerick and have kept clean sheets in all those games. The defence seems to be gelling well with every game. Facing up against David Clifford and Paul Geaney will be an entirely different challenge though.
Arguably, the main guy to stop isn’t David Clifford but his older brother Paudie. As seen in the Kingdom’s recent wins, it is the older Fossa sibling who creates the space for the other marquee men to flourish. Cork will find it hard to keep their clean sheet record intact but if they can stop the playmaker by getting the right man-marker, that would go a long way to testing the Munster kingpins.
Interesting to note that Kerry haven’t kicked a two-pointer in their last three games.
During that time, Cork have kicked 11. We saw how much those scores can make a side compete in the first championship weekend. Sligo kicked two compared to Mayo’s none in the Connacht SFC quarter-final and came close to a shock. Donegal kicked two against Derry in the first-half, giving them a seven-point interval lead, giving them a platform to win 1-25 to 1-15. It is crucial for Cork that their key long-range kickers in Brian O’Driscoll and Mark Cronin find form to compete.
It’s been far too long for a Cork team to win against their neighbours in front of a crowd, hopefully there will be something to cheer for in Páirc Uí Chaoimh.
