Excellent synopsis of last week from Michael Vurney & Shane Stapleton (go to 43 mins), they're miles ahead of the rest. Stapleton (very anti-Cork usually) felt Cork were robbed interestingly. They don't pull the punches re the 3 lads in the forward line. 10 shots from the the trio in the first half - 9 wides and 1 point. It killed us.
I think our best side right now to expose Clare on Sunday doesn't have any of that trio. I think PR will pick 2 of them this evening. I'd say there is serious sway held by Harnedy and Hoggie in this set-up. What seem like obvious selections to all of us watching on become complicated in that environment. Lehane should have come off before Twomey; Hoggie should have come off before Harnedy.
The weakness for Clare is in the full back line. Cleary is just a wrestler. Hogan is excellent, but whether it's Leen or Hayes or Flanagan in the other corner it's an opportunity for Cork. Hogan did very well on Robbie in the league; Cleary will likely just try and grapple Connolly for as long as he can get away with it. We have really take advantage of that final match-up though - that's where 2 or 3 goals can come from.
Conlon is slowing down also so straight down the middle with Fitzgibbon / TOM is also an opportunity. We have to have our big lads on their wing forwards; probably R Downey on Fitzgerald and E Downey on Duggan. SOD on SOD. Millerick on Kelly, although Kelly will probably start at 11 and try and pull Joyce out of position.
So what's the right approach up front? I've been critical of him in the past but JOC has been looking really sharp, he's a confidence player and built for fast ground. He would be a curve ball that would cause huge problems for Clare. Darragh has to go to the half forward line - we will lose the physical battle in midfield otherwise, and he'd cause Conlon a headache in terms of how much Conlon could protect the full back line.
[By right, Ben Cunningham should be starting for us at this stage - he's a top class forward and better than Twomey, Harnedy etc. in that half forward line no question - but that just ain't happening is it]
I'd go with
PC
SOD v SOD--------Cahalane v Rogers------Millerick v McCarthy
ED v Duggan-------Joyce v Kelly----------R Downey v Fitzgerald
Coleman v Morey----TOM v Malone
Dalton v McInerney-----Fitz v Conlon-------ROF v Ryan
JOC v Hogan----------Connolly v Cleary----Barrett v Flanagan
I expect the mgmt team will only make 2 changes vs last Sunday:
-> ED and Dalton in; Twomey and Lehane out
-> Darragh to 11; Coleman to 9
