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Counihan’s Cork should prove their worth in title decider

February 17, 2011

By Staff Reporter

If O Se has a point with the credit crunch bearing down on cash-strapped supporters, Kerry’s record against their Munster rivals at Croke Park since the advent of the qualifiers is too good to ignore.
On the six occasions that the two counties have met in the championship in Dublin, Kerry have won five and drawn one including a comfortable All Ireland final victory by 3-13 to 1-9 in 2007.
The closest Cork have come since the sides met outside of Munster for the first time in 2002 was last year when Kerry prevailed after a replay only to lose the decider to Tyrone.
On the evidence of this season, that trend could be about to change. Cork have emerged from Munster with a confidence and an athleticism which so far haven’t been matched by anyone else, and the way they saw off Tyrone in the semi-final has made them deserved favorites to take the title for the first time since 1990.
Manager Conor Counihan, a superb defender in that team of 19 years ago, is aware of Cork’s record against Kerry at Croke Park, but won’t dwell on it. “We’re just glad to be in a final now, whoever it is we’re glad to be there. The fact that it’s Kerry adds a bit more rivalry and it’s great.”
From Anthony Lynch and Graham Canty at the back, through Nicholas Murphy in midfield, to the attacking talents of Paul Kerrigan and Donnacha O’Connor, Cork certainly laid down a marker with their impressive victory over defending champions Tyrone.
“It was important that it was Tyrone, who have been All Ireland champions three times in the last number of years,” says Counihan. “The players seemed to be rightly tuned in, I was particularly confident about that game.”
As for Kerry, who have reported that both Colm Cooper and Paul Galvin will be fit to line out, the summer hasn’t been a vintage one so far. Admittedly, they did pulverise an overrated Dublin in the quarter-final, but their path through the qualifiers had been characterised by a series of underwhelming displays, and then they were off-color in a desperately poor semi-final against Meath.
As ever, there is class and experience in the side in the guise of Marc O Se, Mike McCarthy, Galvin, Cooper, Declan O’Sullivan, Tommy Walsh and the old warhorse, Darragh O Se, who is going in search of a sixth winners’ medal, and Kerry won’t mind being underdogs for once.
Coach Jack O’Connor has got the team to peak at exactly the right time in the past, and there is also that Croke Park record to add to the mix, but Cork appear to be primed.
They have been the best team of the championship season, and they should prove it on Sunday.

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