Formidable half-back line can drive Cork to victory

Cork v Galway:ONE OF the most surprising aspects of tomorrow's final is that the two counties haven't met before at this stage, given that both have been to the – admittedly not overpopulated – forefront of the game over the past 35 years.

Despite tales of championship woe have accompanied league success for both counties – although Cork see the 1998 win as a big step in the progress to the following year’s All-Ireland, in the immediate term they were-well beaten by Clare – there are no inhibitions going into this on either side.

Victory and a piece of national silverware would sit well in both counties and give the winners momentum for the summer.

Their ordinary league match doesn’t provide much direction given the vastly different selections on both sides. Each team has injury problems but Galway’s look worse in that Fergal Moore had been enjoying an excellent season whereas Niall Healy scored 2-9 in the regulation match in Salthill and would likely have started.

Coverage of Cork’s injuries has tended to focus on Eoin Cadogan’s unavailability at full back but they are also missing Niall McCarthy, whose form had been good to date. Denis Walsh’s decision to pick Eoin Dillon at full back was a logical belief in the need for specialists in a specialist position.

It also perhaps reflects the fact that Dillon played well on the prodigious Joe Canning in the under-21 semi-final of 2007 when a ring-rusty Galway, on the way to the All-Ireland, nearly got caught by Cork and had to go to extra time before progressing. Canning had a stormer that day but mostly when switched out to the 40 after Dillon had done well against him on the edge of the square.

The significance for Cork tomorrow will probably be up front where Walsh decides to run with both of the twin towers, Aisake Ó hAilpín and Michael Cussen, to see if the team can accommodate both of them.

Shane Kavanagh will be in charge of combating the former’s influence – ie not fouling him and making it difficult for his opponent to lay off ball.

John Lee’s medical exam commitments have disrupted his preparation for the final and he starts on the bench with Tony Regan, who has done well this campaign, at centre back although Lee’s big-match temperament may well see him introduced at some stage.

Centrefield will be especially important as the right ball into the full forwards will be vital with Pa Horgan’s form so productive and at the other end Joe Canning waiting along with Damien Hayes to pounce. Galway’s pairing of Ger Farragher and David Burke is a hurling unit and will need to create the space against the more dynamic-looking Cork combination of Tom Kenny and newcomer Lorcan McLoughlin.

Galway have put in some excellent performances during this league but there are good reasons to believe Cork will win this. They have had a more consistent campaign despite the experimenting and frequent changes of selection.

Crucially the half backs are looking more like their formidable selves with John Gardiner particularly returned to his best form.

Galway’s half forwards will have their work cut out to stop the line becoming a platform for Cork’s success.

CORK: D Cusack; S O’Neill, E Dillon, B Murphy; J Gardiner, R Curran, S Óg Ó hAilpín; T Kenny, L McLoughlin; M Cussen, K Murphy, C Naughton; B O’Connor, A Ó hAilpín, P Horgan.

GALWAY: C Callanan; D Joyce, S Kavanagh, O Canning; D Barry, T Regan, D Collins; G Farragher, D Burke; A Harte, C Donnellan, A Smith; D Hayes, J Canning, I Tannian.