The road to tomorrow's All-Ireland minor hurling final at Croke Park has been full of morale-shaking potholes for Kilkenny and Cork.
The danger of losing control at the wheel loomed ominously large for both teams in their respective semi-finals, against Galway and Wexford. Earlier in the campaign, Kilkenny were "lucky", concedes their manager, Bobby Jackman, in the drawn Leinster final with Wexford.
Now that both teams have survived the bumps, a major incentive is shared - to complete the job and claim the coveted lead with 17 titles on the All-Ireland honours list.
Jackman rues the absence of topscoring attacker Paul Sheehan, one of three members of last year's team: centre back John Morgan and full back Noel Hickey are the others. Sheehan was hospitalised during the week with a lingering back complaint.
Equally disturbing for the Kilkenny camp is that two goal semi-final hero Joey Murray has a hand injury, which is to be given a final test this evening. "We have being playing patchy," says Jackman. "I know we have not performed to potential throughout any 60 minutes so far."
The half back line of Colin Herity, John Morgan and James Ryall probably represents Kilkenny's strongest sector at this stage, given that Sheehan and maybe Murray will not be figuring up front.
Kilkenny have the additional incentive, that of improving on their disappointing record of having won only two All-Irelands despite having been Leinster champions for the past nine years. They will also be contesting the first leg of an All-Ireland treble, with of course the seniors and intermediate teams in line for top honours.
Cork, including 11 members of the county's under-21 team, have made three changes following the close shave win over Galway, but selector Brendan Larkin refutes the notion that this could be the mark of an unsettled team facing the final hurdle. Jason Barrett is called up by Cork for a midfield role. The team has struggled in the sector in previous games and it remains to be seen how the Carrigtwohill youth hits it off with Alan O'Connor.
Larkin says: "Defender Aidan Fitzpatrick has recovered from a hand injury and couldn't be left out. Barrett and William Deasy have earned their starting places given the effect they have had on the team when coming on as subs, and Brendan Lombard's switch to full forward is a natural move for he has starred in the position for the Cork vocational schools."
Cork's better-balanced team, the convincing 3-13 to 0-8 drubbing they handed reigning champions Clare and the impeccable accuracy of Eoin Fitzgerald entitles them to a favourites tag.
Route To Final
Cork 2-11 Waterford 0-8, Cork 313 Clare 0-8, Cork 0-12 Wexford 010.
Kilkenny 2-14 Offaly 0-9, Kilkenny 1-11 Wexford 1-11, Kilkenny 215 Wexford 0-6 (replay), Kilkenny 2-10 Galway 1-12.
Kilkenny: J Power; P Shefflin, N Hickey, C Hickey; C Herity, J Morgan, J Ryall; Ken Moore, J Coogan; K Power, B Phelan, D Walsh; G Cleere, M Rafter, AN other.
Cork: M Morrissey; E O'Sullivan, J Olden, D McNamara; B Murphy, R Curran, A Fitzpatrick; A O'Connor, J Barrett; J Egan, E Fitzgerald, C McCarthy; G McCarthy, B Lombard, W Deasy.
