Another really professional performance Sunday - very satisfying to see the consistency of the work rate and aggression in the tackle for the 70 minutes and in all departments of the field.
Some of the fear of a KK win on here on friday and saturday was strange enough to read, some lads even backing KK. I couldn't figure out how fellas thought they had a better team on paper even when we were down a few usuals, as they also had a few lads that will see little enough championship game. KK have outperformed the individual player quality of their squad for a good few years now - they always perform when it matters, but when your squad lacks depth it's really difficult to compete with the top teams without the likes of Lawlor, Mullen, Donnelly etc. By god they know how to scrap like hell, and you will work for every score you get against them... you have to admire them for that. Their scramble defence is just unreal, no other team gets lads to recover and get a stick in like they do.. and a couple of our unconverted goal chances were more about brilliant recovery defence than Cork lads wasting the opportunity per se.
From our perspective, has to go down as the performance of the campaign so far based on the willingness to fight for every ball shown right across the field, and also the creation of 10 goal chances which were lacking v Tipp. Incredibly satisfying for all the new lads to go so well, particularly as each of them had moments where it didn't go their way but it didn't bother them. Also satisfying to have got the tactical stuff fairly bang on - good match ups, good man-marking assignments, good shape mixing the 2 inside with 3 inside at times, good mix of long and short.
It was generally all good stuff at the back. New keeper had a great debut despite one or two nervy moments in the first half. Distribution against the wind was top notch - he will have to get another go. Daire O'Leary was comfortable again, but maybe entitled to be on McDermott who looks fairly one-paced. When is the last time Mossy Keoghan has been kept that quiet? SOD defended brilliantly. Saw lads saying here that his use of the ball was brilliant but there were a few of the weird decisions that I think will always be there with him. He mishit a short pass on the left hand touchline in the second half that went to John Donnelly but then sprinted to the ball and won it back straight away at his ease! Kinda sums up his confidence right now. NOL got better and better as it went on and got the better of the battle with Cody. His problem is definitely not the spring time. Great to see Millerick looking in good form also, a brilliant touch on the very last play of the game.
Zero rustiness from Joyce, he clearly loved the tyler-sponsored mayhem of it all and he never allowed Kenny get too much influence. Solid from the wing-backs but COB's lack of pace was on show again I thought, we were lucky that Moore is not a scorer yet. Half back line is spoilt for choice but you could be a small bit critical that we haven't tried another #3 yet - Millerick, Roche (and Joyce at 3?) should start v Limerick you'd think.
TOC and TOM is ideal isn't it. They were too physical for Jordan Molloy... Blanchfield did well in fairness. they can both score, neat and tidy with the stick passes through the lines, and get through a mountain of work. Top 2 inches with TOM is the only question mark but that's surely a championship pairing sorted.
Brilliant battle in the half forward line. Hugh O'Connor could easily have had 2-2, giving (mainly) Richie Reid a torrid enough time of it for 60 minutes. He looks incredibly composed since coming in v Waterford the first day, and a really impressive ability to get on a ball in a tight situation but find a pocket of space immediately. The finishing will come. Darragh playing like the best hurler in the country, waiting to go up the gears when he needs to. The switch of hands dummy handpass for that goal chance was a superb piece of skill - I think Jamie barron did something similar v KK a few years back in a knockout game in thurles (ended up striking the ball with an upside down bàs. I'd break a wrist attempting that i think. Buckley ideal at 11 if a centre back thinks that they can sit and protect a full back line - on a less shitty day, he'd have had 4 or 5 points. Tackling technique needs to improve - few silly frees conceded but he had another strong showing.
If Daire O'Leary is providing an answer down one end, then Barry Walsh showed exactly what we needed at the other end... I think we all thought P Power would be new corner forward post hoggie but Walsh is an absolute tank. Most impressive moment was half way through second half on the camera touchline where he won a dirty ball, took the hits and showed great skill and strength to get out (tyler gave a harsh free against him I think) - this lad will not need a handpass into his paw. Hayes was Hayes - just can't wait to see him at full tilt and setting the record straight in the championship.
Lastly the Connolly re-boot. I'm not yet 100% convinced but I think I see where Ben and co are coming from. This lad is cool out, buckets of confidence - back him and he won't be rattled... when he's connecting better with other forwards and working like he should always have been, everyone is going better. I guess that's the thinking. There doesn't seem to be any other player in the panel getting as much of a promotion (free-taker every game, not substituted once i don't think?) but I guess it is working by and large so far. The second half v Galway was the one where I definitely took notice that there was a totally different appetite for work with him. Hope it continues but i do see a permutation where Hayes and Walsh are the 2 inside and others are obviously better suited to the other roles in the forward line. And Darragh is still a better free-taker for me. But let's see. Loved the win every weekend stuff from Ben and the players, wouldn't be a bit concerned about 'showing your hand' bullshit or championship turnarounds... 2 weeks is grand.
