The one-week turnaround is "the big challenge" facing the Cork footballers this weekend according to former defender Mick Slocum.

In normal circumstances, the 1990 All-Ireland winning half-back would be confident that the Rebels would safely negotiate the Kildare hurdle but he fears that last Saturday's Munster final replay defeat to Kerry will have taken its toll on Brian Cuthbert's charges.

"They won't hold any fear of them. Cork have never feared Kildare. They can't afford to be complacent either, though," he told The Examiner.

"The big challenge is the one-week turnaround. If you had two or three weeks to prepare for this fixture it would be grand.

"Given they came so close to winning the Munster final the first day... and there was a good bit of disappointment because they were so close to winning so they had to pick themselves up for the replay.

"They did that, but when you are beaten and you have only a week to turn it around, mentally that is fierce tough for any team.

"This team has got a lot of grief over the last couple of years, particularly for the two defeats to Dublin in the league and last year's Munster final defeat to Kerry. That would have been a huge thing for Cork to beat Kerry this year.

"I imagine too it was deflating that they didn't secured the preferred route through the front door.

"Take Donegal, they have been in two of the last three All-Ireland finals. Going through the front door or backdoor makes no difference to them. They'll pick themselves up after Sunday's defeat because Ulster wasn't their primary goal.

"Cork, on the other hand, could have really done with winning Munster and going through the front door. They didn't. Let's see how they respond."

Tweet

Most Read Stories