Cork v Kilkenny Sunday 3.30pm (Live on RTE 2)
Two games into their attempt to rewrite the record books and the weight of history doesn’t seem to be in any way burdening Brian Cody and the Kilkenny hurlers.
In Leinster, Dublin and Galway have been brushed aside like annoying flies and the next team standing in the way of the five in a row are Cork, who prior to Kilkenny’s recent dominance would have fancied their chances against the Black and Amber, but are currently so far behind the reigning All-Ireland champions that the bookies have priced them at 11/2 to pull off a shock this weekend.
That is not a mark of disrespect to Cork, but a testament to Kilkenny’s brilliance and a sign of just how far ahead they are ahead of the chasing pack. Once again this season they have scaled unimaginable heights and have added further weight to the suggestion that they are indeed the greatest of all time.
For all of their brilliance, it has to be said, however, that they have got to this year’s All-Ireland semi-final in second gear. The supposed tough challenge from Dublin never materialised, while an up and coming Galway were made look ordinary in the Leinster Final.
If anything, Galway showed the Cats far too much respect. The ploy of putting Joe Canning on the 40’ at the beginning was meant to distract Kilkenny’s all conquering half-back line, but it merely took Canning out from the edge of the square where is he is most dangerous and left him chasing the shadows of Tommy Walsh and JJ Delaney in the half back line until he was restored to his rightful position.
When he went back in, John McIntyre decided to move Galway’s other main threat, Damien Hayes, out the field and Kilkenny were able to double team Canning and completely obliterate his threat.
Walsh and Delaney have been imperious once again this season, the Michaels, Rice and Fennelly, have been excellent at centre-field, while Richie Power (above) and TJ Reid have stepped up to the plate alongside their more illustrious counterparts in attack. Of course, if the Kilkenny attack isn’t firing Cody also has the luxury of calling on the likes of Martin Comerford and Richie Hogan from the bench.
So what chance have Cork of causing an upset on Sunday? The fact that they have played five games to Kilkenny’s two (including games against heavyweights Waterford and Tipperary), is in their favour, as is the fact that a number of players on the Cork side, unlike most teams, have previous experience of beating Kilkenny, even though it was more than five years ago.
In that respect, the return of Seán Óg ó hAilpÃn is a big boost, but the delivery into his brother at full-forward will have to be a lot less telegraphed than it has been since since the Tipperary game way back in May. Cathal Naughton will be called upon to deliver a big game at midfield and goals will be crucial, so Pat Horgan will need to return to the form he showed against Tipperary.
Denis Walsh will have learned from Galway’s mistakes and should advise his players to go hell for leather right from the off and worry about Kilkenny later. After all, with nobody predicting an upset, they have absolutely nothing to lose.
The Cork side shows three changes from the one that overcame Antrim unconvincingly in the quarter-final. Shane O’Neill and Seán Óg ó hAilpÃn have recovered from injury and line out at corner-back and wing-back respectively, while Pat Horgan replaces Paudie O’Sullivan in the full-forward line.
Brian Cody has made two changes to the side that beat Galway in the Leinster Final for Sunday’s All-Ireland semi-final against Cork.
James ‘Cha’ Fitzpatrick comes into the side at midfield in place of the injured Michael Rice, while Aidan Fogarty replaces Martin Comerford in the forward line and will start at left corner forward, with Henry Shefflin moving out to centre forward.
Teams:
Cork: Donal Og Cusack; Shane O’Neill, Eoin Cadogan, Brian Murphy; John Gardiner, Ronan Curran, Seán Óg Ó hAilpÃn; Tom Kenny, Cathal Naughton; Michael Cussen, Kieran Murphy, Niall McCarthy; Pat Horgan, Aisake Ó hAilpÃn, Ben O’Connor
Kilkenny: P.J. Ryan; John Dalton, Noel Hickey, Jackie Tyrrell; Tommy Walsh, Brian Hogan, J.J. Delaney; James ‘Cha’ Fitzpatrick, Michael Fennelly; T.J. Reid, Henry Shefflin, Eoin Larkin; Eddie Brennan, Richard Power, Aidan Fogarty
Odds:
Cork 11/2, Kilkenny 1/7, Draw 14/1
JOE Prediction: Kilkenny to reach their fifth final in a row with a winning margin of less than six points.
