I'm going to try to be positive about the rest of the championship. I think Kingston will pare back the obsession with passing it out from the back, get a lot more movement from his forwards to give the backs options to pass and up the work rate. We showed with our own goal and with some of the point taking, especially immediately after half time when we got four points in a row, that we do have excellent forwards who can cut defences open. When defences tighten up in the middle however, we should be able to go wide and we don't.
I think Damien Cahalane is a great Cork servant and I know he'll be disappointed with his performance, but Hayes's goal was just too easy. When Hayes initially got possession Cahalane did well to harrass him and stop him from going around him. Hayes stops to look for options, sees another Cork defender coming in, realises Cahalane has left the goal side open and then Hayes is gone. Cahalane slips and that seals it.
From underage you are taught in any field sport to 'guard the house'. Stay goal side of your man and don't let him inside you. Force him out. I was very close to this and there were fellas around me screaming to not let Hayes inside. I understand Cahalane thought Hayes might try to cut inside, but between the two defenders they could have pushed Hayes out to the sideline.
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In the first screenshot Cahalane's position is ok, but then he steps away from goal. That second screenshot breaks my heart. If that was at the other end, the Limerick defender would be inside the Cork forward's jocks once he gets forced outside because he would be aware there's another covering defender arriving.
Here's the video if you're able for it:
What gauls me is that for all the talk about Cork's lack of physicality Cahalane actually does well to twart Hayes's initial plan and pushes all 6ft 5 of Hayes out, but then is very naive in not staying goal side of him even though Coleman is covering.
This let Limerick off the hook again for their initial slow start and gave them a three point lead.
My point here is that while Cork could do with all the physicality they can, I think there's too much emphasis on it as a major problem. Our defence has been leaking for far too long and you can have all the small/big/zippy/physical/wristy forwards you want but if you let teams score goals like this it's like trying to bail water out of a sinking boat.