Seán Cavanagh: 'I don't see where Cork are going'

Seán Cavanagh does not subscribe to the theory that Cork can take confidence from their display against Kerry and feels the side might have been better off competing in the Tailteann Cup this summer.

The Rebels were competitive for about 50 minutes in their provincial semi-final against the Kingdom, but Jack O'Connor's side cut loose in the final 20 minutes, outscoring their opponents by 0-12 to 0-01.

Speaking on The Sunday Game, Cavanagh wasn't finding too many positives as far as Cork were concerned.

"Maybe for a young team, a Tailteann Cup would be a better place to develop. I wouldn't give them massive hope going in the back door." - Seán Cavanagh does not subscribe to the theory that Cork can take confidence from their display against Kerry. #GAA pic.twitter.com/oMAR3ce6GM

"I don't really buy in to this morale-boosting, they put in an effort," he said.

"Look, they lost by 12 points to their bitter rival. They made a big hullaballoo about bringing the match to Páirc Uí Rinn in the first place because they knew they'd get destroyed in a wide-open Killarney.

"Effort should be the minimum standard for Cork going up against Kerry and I thought Kerry kept them in the game with some cheap frees."

The Rebels are still in the All-Ireland race and will enter the qualifiers. Cavanagh, however, does not see making too much of a dash via the back door.

"I don't see where Cork are going at the minute. I watched them celebrate after beating Offaly in the league and that kept them in the All-Ireland championship. I'm not sure that's the place for them.

"Maybe for a young team, the Tailteann Cup could be the place for them to develop. Looking at them against Kerry I wouldn't give them much chance going through the back door."