FAIR WARNING
Clare selector Tommy Corbett reveals who Banner men will target in upcoming All-Ireland hurling final against Cork
Corbett has zoned in on two Rebel stars
CLARE must force Brian Hayes and Alan Connolly to feed off scraps if Cork’s famine is to continue.
That is according to Banner selector Tommy Corbett ahead of Sunday’s All-Ireland SHC final.
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Cork stalwart Patrick Horgan needs just 0-3 to overtake TJ Reid as the Championship’s all-time leading scorer.
But the impact made by his younger companions in the inside forward line has been pivotal in bringing the Rebels to the brink of a first Liam MacCarthy Cup since 2005.
The pair combined for 1-7 from play in the semi-final win over reigning champions Limerick, with goalscorer Hayes claiming the man-of-the-match award.
Corbett admitted: “It’s going to be very difficult.
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"They bring huge physicality and aerial threat.
“On top of that, they have massive athleticism and speed, as well as obviously the undoubted hurling that they have.
“The first thing we need to do is try to limit their supply of the ball.
“You try to ensure that the supply of balls going into them isn’t the one that they want. It’s easier said than done.”
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Still, Corbett pointed out that there is more to Cork than the twin threat posed by Hayes and Connolly, who both won All-Ireland Under-20 medals under current senior boss Pat Ryan in 2021.
He said: “They have so many options on the field.
Cork GAA hero Patrick Horgan plays with his son Jack at Croke Park after win over Limerick
“And then on top of that, they have this bomb squad of speed that they can bring in after 40, 45, 50 minutes.
"Any team that’s going to beat Cork is going to have to be at the top of their game for 75 to 80 minutes.
“They have threats all over the field, not just those two boys.”
After starting their campaign with a defeat to Limerick, Clare bounced back by winning away at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh seven days later.
It was their third consecutive Championship victory over Cork.
But Corbett insisted: “Every game takes on a life of its own. I suppose our backs were to the wall down in Páirc Uí Chaoimh.
“It was a game we had to win and both teams performed well. It could have gone either way.
“Will that game have any bearing on an All-Ireland final? I don’t really think so. I don’t think Cork will be thinking about that game.
“We certainly won’t be thinking about it and the game on Sunday will take on a life of its own. It will be a completely different scenario.”
When it comes to All-Ireland success, Cork have never known a barren spell like the one they are currently in the midst of.
Yet Clare are also aiming to bridge a sizeable gap to their last triumph, which came at the expense of the Leesiders in 2013.
Corbett added: “We’ve both had a bit of a famine so this will bring something different.
“But we’re going to approach it like any other game.
“It’s four white lines and two goalposts. It’s still a grass pitch at the end of the day.
“You need to embrace it and back yourself.
“You’re there to showcase your skills and show what you can do, and that’s what both teams will be doing on Sunday.”