THE SCOREBOARD PROCLAIMED the outcome plainly in Páirc Uí Chaoimh, two points the difference between winning and losing.
A third victory on the spin for Dublin, a promotion bid firmly on track as they look set to joust with Derry for table-topping supremacy.
A second defeat at home for Cork, fourth position in the league table but only that high due to the comfort of scoring difference and still glancing nervously over their shoulders towards the fight at the bottom.
And yet it was a game that will have sparked flashes of hope in both camps, flaws apparent on a mid-February afternoon and still a sense of travelling generally in the right direction.
*****
Dublin
The biggest cause for cheer amongst the Dublin support base came shortly before throw-in. Pre-match changes to announced team selections are nothing new. Daire Newcombe and Peadar Ó Cofaigh-Byrne may have been been the alterations to the starting side in the match programme, but it was the news over the tannoy that Jack McCaffrey would now wear number seven to take his place on the bench, that prompted the most striking reaction from that away fans.
58 minutes in and the Clontarf man entered the fray. A first outing in Dublin colours in 1,087 days since a sodden night in Omagh just before Covid shut down the country in February 2020. A five-time All-Ireland senior winner, a four-time All-Star and a former Footballer of the Year. That’s a useful option to unleash from the reserves.
More pertinently were the signs of McCaffrey still packing a punch in those rampaging runs from the left flank. He zipped about during his spell of around 20 minutes on the pitch. The 60th minute saw a pocket of space created and the ball ferried across to James McCarthy, another old guard member to impact, who had the time to clip a point.
The 75th minute saw a burst of acceleration that left the Cork defence trailing in his wake and a shot tidily knocked over the bar to send Dublin two clear. There was a yellow card, seemingly for delaying Cork taking a free, and a couple of other notable attacking inputs. Jack was back and straight into the thick of the action.
“Jack’s been a great addition to the squad, not just for what he can do outside but just his mere presence around the place,” said Dessie Farrell afterwards.
“He’s very bubbly character and he’s always in good form, the eternal optimist. It’s great to have him back.”
Farrell also confirmed Paul Mannion is nursing his ankle back to full health after another knock in the recent All-Ireland club final. He will have been heartened by another good showing from Con O’Callaghan, while Daire Newcombe, Ó Cofaigh-Byrne and goalkeeper David O’Hanlon popped up with strong moments. Dublin’s shooting efficiency stood out, 69% as opposed to Cork’s 41%, their capacity to patiently probe until the opening emerged was in stark contrast to Cork’s at times rushed approach.
Concerns surfaced in the manner in which their defence was prised apart for goal chances, Cork only converting two of the six clearcut openings that came their way. Long deliveries made for an uncomfortable first-half for Dublin’s inside line and some blue-chip forwards were not as impactful as usual. Similar to the Kildare game on the first night out, they struggled to put Cork beyond reach during the second half.
But it felt like a day dominated by the return of McCaffrey. For a Round 3 league game that’s a positive outcome.
****
Cork
When Cork took on Dublin in the 2019 Super 8s, they were three points down with ten minutes left and wound up losing by 13, collapsing under the weight of a wave of blue goals.
When the teams faced each other in last year’s All-Ireland quarter-final, Cork trailed by two at half-time and lost by 11 at the finish.
This time, in the first league meeting between the counties since 2016, they sustained their challenge right to the end. One point down at half-time and two points down at full-time was indicative of a more rounded showing from John Cleary’s side. They didn’t fashion a victory but were able to last the pace, only a mix of David O’Hanlon’s fingertips and the woodwork preventing a cracking Brian Hurley match-winning goal late on.
Considering the gloom that enveloped their setup after the opening day loss to Meath, Cleary speaking afterwards about the pressure they were immediately under, the response will have encouraged him. The win over Kildare was emphatic, the testing of Dublin was promising. Clean sheets in both games a marked improvement after the three goals they leaked on day one against the Royals.
Hurley wreaked havoc on the Dublin defence, tapping into a run of free-scoring form as he swung over eight points. The two goalscorers – Eoghan McSweeney and Matty Taylor – both finished with aplomb, the strikes the centrepieces of strong showings from both. Luke Fahy at wing-back, Colm O’Callaghan at midfield and Sean Powter at centre-forward all gave them a foothold in different sectors. They responded well to the harsh dismissal of Ian Maguire.
Problems still surfaced. There were too many potshots in the first half and free-taking broke down at times. Dublin’s measured attacking style offered a lesson. Outside of Hurley, the Cork attack only registered 1-2. Dublin had nine different scorers, Cork only had four. When it was 14 v 14 in the last quarter and the game up for grabs, Cork couldn’t drag Dublin level. Turning a challenge into a victory is the next task.
Midweek Sigerson Cup endeavours, another marathon extra-time effort, may not have helped their cause. The loss of Cathail O’Mahony through injury robbed them of an attacking option, a longer absence there would be keenly felt. With two losses from their first three games, the margin of error for Cork has reduced. Limerick at home, Clare and Louth both away, and Derry at home complete their schedule.
Cleary spoke afterwards of the encouraging nature of the game for Cork, hailing the manner in which they battled and acknowledging the deficits in experience and score-taking that cost them.
It was a display they can take plenty out of but putting points on the board now becomes crucial.
Originally published at 09.19
