John Cleary: 'Cork football needed a win like that'

John Cleary got straight to the point. His group, he said, needed this win. Cork football, he said, needed this win.

After 10 winless weeks and a run of three championship defeats, Cork’s hanging-on effort in Portlaoise saw a sizable weight lifted.

“We had two battles with Kerry and came out on the wrong side. In between, we went to Meath, and we felt we didn't play to our potential. We needed a win like that. The group needed a win. Cork football needed a win like that,” remarked Cleary.

With only one Cork score in the closing 15 minutes, that belonging to sub Cathail O’Mahony three minutes from the hooter, this was a win where the plaudits were laid at the door of defence.

The oft-maligned Micheál Aodh Martin produced a championship-extending save to deny Daire Cregg a 59th minute goal. Seán Brady dived in to prevent Ciarán Lennon finishing the rebound.

A goal there would have brought Roscommon from four to one within reach. The hand of Daniel O’Mahony prevented a Diarmuid Murtagh two-pointer and a Roscommon victory with the last shot of the game.

“We were hanging on at the end. We were grateful to Cathail O'Mahony for his point because the draw was no good to us today. We were going down the road out of the championship if it had been a draw.

“I thought we defended heroically in the last play. Dan O'Mahony got the block. Luckily it broke into Seán Powter's hand and I thought he'd never kick it out over the sideline!

“That is where games are won; small, small margins. Particularly with the new rules, there is so much helter-skelter. You can't control the game big-time any more. That last ball could have broken five different ways. Thankfully it broke to us. We had a bit of luck. Other days I've been talking here and we have had no luck. When it comes, you'll take it. The group is delighted to be moving on in the championship.

“Roscommon have good forwards. They moved the ball well. We kept them to one goal chance and Micheál made a fantastic save. He is a great shot-stopper. That is why we are rolling on. Now we could have had two or three goals in the first half, it swings in roundabouts.”

Cleary was adamant that this result has in no way sated the ambition of the group. They didn’t dig in and cling on only to extend their summer by one week. The minimum goal is to bridge a two-year gap to their most recent last-eight appearance.

The manager remarked in the middle of last week that a result here could turn their season. Does he still hold faith in that comment?

“A lot will depend on Monday morning and where we are drawn to go,” he quipped.

“There is a big difference in the draws we can get. We will just see how the games go tonight and tomorrow, and see where the draw takes us. But wherever it is, we'll get ready for it and we'll go to battle again next week. There's a place in the All-Ireland quarter-final at stake, and we've seen all season, there's lots of topsy-turvy results.

“We want to see how far we can go. We have a good panel of players.”

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