Cork this evening came out of the traps early with their team announcement for Sunday’s NFL Division One match against us at MacHale Park (thanks to HopeSpringsEternal and JPM for the heads-up on this). Here’s the team and list of subs named by Brian Cuthbert tonight:
Cork (NFL Division One v Mayo, 15/3/2014): Ken O’Halloran (Bishopstown); Michael Shields (St Finbarr’s), Eoin Cadogan (Douglas), Kevin Crowley (Millstreet); Conor Dorman (Bishopstown), Tom Clancy (Clonakilty), Alan Cronin (Nemo Rangers); Andrew O’Sullivan (Castletownbere), Aidan Walsh (Kanturk); Colm O’Driscoll (Tadhg MacCárthaigh), Paul Kerrigan (Nemo Rangers), Tomás Clancy (Fermoy); Colm O’Neill (Ballyclough), Brian Hurley (Castlehaven), Donncha O’Connor (Ballydesmond). Subs: David Hanrahan (Douglas), John McLoughlin (Kanturk), James Loughrey (Mallow), Kevin O’Driscoll (Tadhg MacCárthaigh), Fintan Goold (Macroom), Micheál O Laoire (Naomh Abán), Barry O’Driscoll (Nemo Rangers), Mark Collins (Castlehaven), John O’Rourke (Carbery Rangers), John Hayes (Carbery Rangers), Daniel Goulding (Eire Óg).
The above team shows all of eight changes from the one that started in the narrow win over Derry last Sunday. Into the starting fifteen for Sunday come Eoin Cadogan, Kevin Crowley, Conor Dorman, Tom Clancy, Aidan Walsh, Colm O’Driscoll, Colm O’Neill and Donncha O’Connor while out go James Loughrey, John McLoughlin and Kevin O’Driscoll (i.e. the entire half-back line from last Sunday), as well as Fintan Goold, Mark Collins, John O’Rourke, Daniel Goulding and John Hayes. There’s a fair bit of positional switching from last Sunday’s team too.
The last time we played the Rebels was that final round league match at Páirc Uí Chaoimh in April last year where we dug out a morale-boosting win, one that not only secured our Division One status but also landed us an unexpected place in the NFL semi-finals. Cork will field just six players from that game on Sunday (O’Halloran, Shields, Clancy (Tomas), Walsh, O’Sullivan and Kerrigan) and, of course, they have a new management team on the sideline this year as well.
Our full back line will really get a serious test with that full forward line. O’Neill and Hurley are serious operators and O’Connor is no joke, even if his best days are probably behind him.
Cork i think will let the ball do the work.Launching long/high balls onto our full back line.
I notice that Cork have named Tomás Clancy at no. 12, he normally plays as a defender. He played at corner back against Derry last week (he did score a goal). I wonder is he named there to keep a check on Lee Keegan’s forward runs. That will be an interesting match-up to keep an eye on. It’s also interesting that two of their defenders are U21, Kevin Crowley and Conor Dorman, they are playing in the game against Kerry tomorrow, so that’s a big ask to play again on Sunday against Mayo. It seems to be quite an experimental team, which is good to see from a Mayo point of view.
Cuthbert is proving himself to be a serious operator, and that Cork team a serious bunch who are showing big signs of re-emerging from the Counihan era a revitalised force. Serious turnaround in players but boy are they fresh and raring to go. Serious respect for Colm O’Neill returning for the third time and working his way back into what’s essentially a new unit.
However, our lads will be gunning for this win and I believe we are a match for them. I doubt we’ll see any feet slipping from pedals on Sunday in what should be a fast-paced, open and physical game,
Odd to see so many changes at this stage of the league, but then, they’re sitting pretty and can afford to experiment, especially with lads coming back in. And I think – I hope – we’ve already done most of our experimenting at this stage.
Inclined to agree with the above re Cork letting the ball do the work, so all six Mayo defenders will need to be on high alert, as will Rob – no way can we afford to conceal three goals this weekend, or even two. They’ve a decent bench now too especially with the classy Goulding on it and you can bet he’ll make an appearance, possibly quite early on if things aren’t going well. Mind you we have the winning of midfield, and if we can play them at their own game and get on top of their back line we’ll beat them.
I’d pin my colours to the mast and say Mayo by one or two if I wasn’t such a massive jinx, so I’ll say no such thing and just hope for the best. 😉
This is backs to the wall stuff now as far as Mayo is concerned on Sunday, for this is a must win game if we’re to retain our division one status. Lets not fool ourselves into believing that Cork might be fielding a weakened team, they might have some changes made from the last day, but they have that winning formula and belief in them selves that Mayo are lacking at the moment.
Can we win? of course we can, but if it’s a tight game as I expect it will, do we have that belief to drive on when the game in in the balance – only time will tell. As regards James Horan, I think for this one, he should come down from his perch in the stand and be seen to lead from he front, use his lieutenants for advice and show the Cork lads we mean business. Mayo by 3……
With that amount of changes Cork know they have enough points in bag for semi final spot already, experimental team which is good news for Mayo.
It just shows how strong their forwards are, they can rest Daniel Goulding and John Hayes. Then replace them with Colm O’Neill and Donncha O’Connor, now thats strength in dept in their attack. I am surprised that two of their defenders are expected to play for their U21 team this evening against Kerry, then against Mayo on Sunday, it’ll be interesting to see how that will go. Also playing Tomás Clancy, a defender up-front, as we have been doing with Keith Higgins will be one to keep an eye on. The new players coming in will be fresh and eager as well, so we’ll be getting nothing easy against them.
This is probably the most vulnerable Cork have been at any point during the League. Loughrey not starting, two u21s in defense. Donncha O’Connor is one of my favourite footballers, magician on the ball but can be inconsistent. He won’t be guaranteed a starting place this year and you wonder how he’ll handle that kind of pressure.
You wonder if Cuthbert considers this a game that he can afford to lose? More valuable for giving a run out to Colm O’Neill and co.? 2 points for Mayo I think.
I can’t see how this is a must win game for Mayo, and backs to the wall stuff? We have won our last two games and have games against Cork, Dublin Derry to come. We are capable of beating all of these teams.
I’m with you MO2014.
I think the Cork team, the timing, and the venue are all good news for Mayo.
I know Derry travelled all the way down and beat Kerry, but I still think home advantage is worth a few points.
The psychological dimension is that Cork won’t be desperate, and while we have 4 we know that if we stay on that Kerry will probably have 4 by Sunday and if we are in a dogfight with Kildare, they win. So incentive is with us.
Experimental teams may be useful for the manager down the line, but may be problematic in actually getting the points.
I expect we will beat Cork on Sunday, but suppose we don’t, what then ? Next match v the Dubs in Croke Park, no guarantee there. So we could be facing into our last match against Derry, depending on other results going our way in order to survive in division one. That’s why I’m saying a win is a must against Cork, hence my backs to the wall comment….