Cork can upset the odds against weakened Kilkenny

ALLIANZ HURLING LEAGUE DIVISION ONE FINAL Kilkenny v CorkVenue: Semple Stadium Kick-off: Tomorrow, 4pm On TV: Live on TG4

A YEAR ago Kilkenny found an extensive injury list too heavy a burden against Dublin and the All-Ireland champions go into tomorrow’s NHL Division One final just as encumbered, again missing Henry Shefflin and Richie Power.

In a way, the situation is worse, as the retirements of Eddie Brennan, Michael Kavanagh, who both started 12 months ago, and James Cha Fitzpatrick have removed players who, if no longer first choice, would have been useful crisis cover.

Cork have had their own high-profile setback with captain Donal Óg Cusack, of whom ‘influential’ is an understatement, out for the year, which has forced Jimmy Barry-Murphy to make a call between the joint goalkeeping understudies.

Anthony Nash acquitted himself well in the semi-final when rotating the spot on the subs’ bench, but Martin Coleman is the choice for tomorrow – maybe reflecting a wish to prioritise short-range accuracy over distance in the puck-outs given the formidable aerial power of Kilkenny.

The goalkeeping headache aside, this has been a fine, restorative league for Cork.

Barry-Murphy, who has been caution personified during his side’s good run, would be quick to point out that the county reached this stage two years ago, but lost emphatically to Galway and, despite going on to defeat eventual All-Ireland winners Tipperary in the Munster championship, would have a disappointing summer.

This season the rebuild has looked promising, even if there hasn’t been a flood of new talent.

The defence has been tweaked with encouraging results, even if the jury is out on Seán Óg Ó hAilpín’s holding on at wing back into the summer. Eoin Cadogan has done well at centre back and William Egan looks far more comfortable on the wing.

Centrefield is still a bit up in the air and currently on hold due to young Darren Sweetnam’s academic commitments, although he is named in the match panel.

But it is up front that the greatest cause for optimism has been found. A year on, Conor Lehane has blossomed from an outstanding prospect into a major performer during the league, Patrick Cronin has assumed a leadership role in the middle – whether at centrefield or centre forward – and, after Lehane, Luke O’Farrell is beginning to emerge from the cocoon of promise.

The renewal process isn’t all one way and Brian Cody said during the week he was happy with the number of developing players given a run this year.

Richie Doyle and Matt Ruth made their debuts last year whereas Cillian Buckley’s came against Galway recently and all three have impressed so far.

It’s unlikely Kilkenny will play as poorly as they did in last year’s final when indiscipline cost them Eoin Larkin, during the match, and John Dalton, suspended afterwards on video evidence. Equally, they’ll hardly have as bad a day with placed ball as last year when three free-takers were used with a fair bit of spillage.

Still the loss of scoring potential with Shefflin and Power out is considerable – even the narrow defeat in Cork during the regulation matches featured 1-11 from Power – and with the two next most productive forwards from last year’s All-Ireland success, Michael Rice and Richie Hogan, just making their way back from injury Kilkenny will be under pressure.

Just four weeks after breaking two ribs and suffering a punctured lung, Hogan is named on the starting line-up for tomorrow, along with his brother Paddy.

However, fit, confident and showing genuine improvement, Cork can buck the odds – which have been coming in all week but remain generous in the circumstances – and win a first league title in 14 years.

CORK: M Coleman; S O'Neill, S McDonnell,

B Murphy; S Óg Ó hAilpín, E Cadogan,

W Egan; L McLoughlin, J Gardiner; C Lehane, P Cronin, N McCarthy; L O’Farrell,

P O’Sullivan, P Horgan (capt).

KILKENNY: D Herity; P Murphy, JJ Delaney, J Tyrrell; T Walsh, B Hogan, R Doyle;

M Fennelly, P Hogan; R Hogan, TJ Reid, C Buckley; C Fennelly, E Larkin (capt), M Ruth.

Referee: J McGrath (Westmeath).