Cork must exorcise Croke Park ghosts

Cork v Kerry: On paper, Cork enter this weekend's All-Ireland final as overwhelming favourites. The Munster champions have already beaten Kerry once, dismantled Tyrone at the semi-final stage and are undoubtedly playing the most powerful and effective football in the country.

Kerry, on the other hand, were humbled at Pairc Ui Chaoimh and stumbled like a drunk through the subsequent qualifiers. Granted, Dublin were blown away in the capital but one swallow does not a summer make and the semi-final win over Meath was far from convincing.

The problem for Cork manager Conor Counihan and his young band of Rebels is this. No All-Ireland is ever won on paper.

Yes, Cork are the form team. But they come into Sunday’s decider with major question marks hanging over their ability to perform, particularly against Kerry, on the biggest of stages.

Cork have faced down their near-neighbours at Croke Park on five occasions since the advent of the All-Ireland series in 2001 and have yet to record a single win. They certainly have the personnel to buck that trend on this occasion but do they have the belief?

Unsurprisingly, Counihan saw no need to tinker with a winning formula when he named his side earlier in the week. With a voracious work ethic from 1-15, all the ammunition is there for the county to end their 19-year wait for an All-Ireland title.

Anthony Lynch is perhaps the only defender in the country capable of keeping the Colm Cooper scoreless while the half back line of Noel O’Leary, Graham Canty and John Miskella have had the measure of Kerry’s marksmen in the past.

Nicholas Murphy can orchestrate from midfield while the likes of Donnacha O’Connor and Daniel Goulding are players for the big occasion.

Over in the Kingdom, Kerry manager Jack O’Connor has restored Tommy Walsh to the full forward berth and rejigged his attack in an attempt to restore the balance.

Declan O’Sullivan moves from the edge of the square to centre forward while Tadhg Kennelly, who gave his best performance for the county on the 40 against Meath, moves to left wing forward.

Kennelly, the former Sydney Swan, will be making his first appearance in an All-Ireland final. In a vastly experienced contesting a sixth successive final, the 27-year-old is the only Kerry player getting his first taste of the All Ireland experience.

And it is that know-how, guile and ability to get the job done that has many predicting a Kerry win. Unless, of course, the real Cork finally turn up at GAA headquarters.

Cork: Alan Quirke; Ray Carey, Michael Shields, Anthony Lynch; Noel O'Leary , Graham Canty, John Miskella; Alan O'Connor, Nicholas Murphy; Paul Kerrigan, Pearse O'Neill, Paddy Kelly; Daniel Goulding, Colm O'Neill, Donnacha O'Connor.

Kerry: Diarmuid Murphy, Marc Ó Sé, Tommy Griffin, Tom O'Sullivan, Tomás Ó Sé, Mike McCarthy, Killian Young, Darragh Ó Sé,, Seamus Scanlon, Paul Galvin, Declan O'Sullivan, Tadhg Kennelly, Colm Cooper, Tommy Walsh, Darran O'Sullivan.