CORK need to hit the ground running in their promotion push in Division 2 of the Allianz Football League, according to former Rebels forward and selector John Hayes.
John Cleary’s team opens their campaign with two away games over the next two weekends, away to Donegal in Ballybofey this Sunday before an away trip to Louth in Ardee the following weekend.
Hayes, who served as a senior selector under Ronan McCarthy, feels Cork are now good enough to challenge for promotion to Division 1, but they need to pick up points on the road in the opening rounds.
‘Four points should be the target and has to be the target,’ Hayes told this week’s Star Sport Podcast.
‘Cork are in that space now where they have to be targeting wins and this is a year that feels like it’s big for Cork and big for John Cleary,
‘Even if Cork were to nick a point in Donegal, win in Louth and come away with three points you’d be in a very good place at that stage. The minimum is two points.
Anything less than that and you are on the back foot from the start. If Cork can get any sort of a result in Ballybofey on Sunday it would be a great place to start and it would set the tone for the league.
‘In the league if you get good results early it takes the pressure off in terms of looking down the table and over your shoulder. Cork shouldn’t be in a position where we are worried about relegation this year but it’s easy to get sucked in if you don’t get something against Donegal and then go out the week after against Louth, don’t put in a performance and suddenly you’re on zero points.
‘I think the minimum is two points, and a result in Donegal would be a great start for Cork.’
Following the opening two rounds, John Cleary’s side are home to Cavan, away to Fermanagh, host Kildare, travel to Meath and then entertain Armagh in the final round. The Rebels are viewed as promotion challengers as Cork looks to return to Division 1 for the first time since 2016. Carbery Rangers clubman John Hayes feels Cork are now in a position to make the jump up to the top tier.
‘Cork are well in the mix for promotion,’ he said. ‘I was of the opinion that Division 2 was the right place for this team over the last few years, but the team is progressing, the panel is building and the ability is there to go up to Division 1 and be competitive. I don't think we would have been competitive two or three years ago but we are building towards that.’
