FOR THE SECOND successive year, John Cleary has steered Cork into the last eight of the All-Ireland senior football championship.
This progression feels different, last week’s milestone win for their current group over Mayo was followed up by squeezing out a result against Roscommon today in a nail-biting finish.
A sluggish start and a faltering finish were mixed with a middle period where Cork played with authority.
“Relief and we’re delighted to get to a quarter-final,” was Cleary’s reaction afterwards.
“The game could have went any way. They were well on top in the first half, we weren’t at the races at all. They could have been up more even and we were just leggy. We forced it a bit, we had six or seven turnovers in the first 15, 16 minutes.
“Five minutes then before half time we got three points. We even said that in the dressing room at half time, look lads we’ve only played for five minutes and we’re only a point down.
“The second half was a mishmash of everything. It was nip and tuck. We got five points ahead and, a bit like us maybe last week against Mayo, Roscommon threw caution to the wind, kicked five fabulous points.
“We’re delighted to get over the line.”
Cork were forced to start without captain and star forward Brian Hurley, who was ruled out with a hamstring injury and his participation next weekend remains in doubt.
Cleary admitted Cork were forced to hang on in the finish.
“We just couldn’t get our hands on the ball and Roscommon really went for it. They pushed up and we found it hard to win our own kick outs and get the ball out of defence. We definitely did tire, I could see in front of me even fellas just couldn’t go for the ball.
“And in the end whoever was going to get that bit of luck, thanks be to God, we did today. Ian Maguire made a super run there and gave his ball to Kevin Donovan who coolly put it over the bar.”
The game shifted in Cork’s direction when they altered their strategy to press up on Roscommon’s kickout.
“I suppose, look, every day you’re out you learn something and maybe we looked at the Mayo game and sometimes it works for you. Only for Mícheál Martin, you know, it was in the back of the net from a kickout from them over the top. So, you know, it’s easy say, press up.
“But those are the dangers on it then and that’s what we were afraid of. Luckily enough, we didn’t get punished today for the one that went against us.
“But I think we were very strong around the middle and we picked off their kickout there. You had Sean Powter, Chris Óg (Jones) or whoever and I thought their movement was very well in stopping the, the quick kick out and, and from the, from Roscommon.”
