All Ireland Final will be no Rebel Coronation

(JJ Hurley)

Cork’s search for an elusive All Ireland senior hurling title is not a foregone conclusion, as the Rebels are set to play the Premier County on Sunday at HQ in Dublin.

While the players and management seem to have their feet firmly on the ground, the fans seem determined to believe that this is Cork’s year.

Do we need to be reminded of twelve months ago and the heartache of extra time?

The raw facts are Cork’s certainty is not reflected in their path to the final, drew to Clare, beat a 14-man Tipp side, sent packing by Limerick, overcame a struggling Waterford side, failed to beat the Shannon-siders in regulation time and powered past a very naïve Dublin.

That’s not a team preordained to lift Liam McCarthy, it’s a side who will have to play for seventy minutes plus, and get the rub of the green.

Tipp won’t give Cork’s inside line the space that Dublin decided naively to do so, and expect Cork players in possession to be swarmed by the fellas in the Blue and Gold.

This is going to be a battle and Cork will need all of its fifteen warriors on the pitch to fight for every ball, beginning with the inside forward line.

Over the last decade, Cork teams have given too much respect to teams as they conceded important goals because they lacked the ability to be overzealous in the tackle, particularly down  the centre

Who dares to speak of Tony Kelly, waltzing his way through the Rebel’s defence in last year’s final?

Getting the nod at centre field, Tim O’Mahony and Darragh Fitzgibbon will be expected to cover a lot of ground.

Tipp will play deep and try and isolate Cork’s inside backline, with McCarthy and Forde well able to challenge the Cork defence, so Cork’s midfield will be expected to do their defensive duties too.

This will not be a goal fest like the semi-final, and every score will count.

For Cork to win this title, the line will be crucial, with their biggest challenge getting the starting 15 right and introducing the right subs for the occasion.

Writing this before the team’s announcement, I think Harmody will not start as the stories continue to whirl re his injury, a lesson learnt from Cork’s earlier encounter with Limerick- playing injured players never works.

I am expecting this to go down to the wire, Tipp are hurting from a couple of sever Rebel beatings and nothing is more dangerous than a fellow from the Premier County with a wounded pride.

The question for Cork, have they finally developed that killer instinct and, if they get in front, can they finish the opposition off?

Only time will tell.

Cork in action against Tipp earlier in the season (Credit Cork GAA)