Mostly Hurling:Brian Cody will be more worried by his own side's form rather than any of the challengers, writes JOHN ALLEN

THERE WEREN'T too many predicting a Cork/Waterford Munster hurling final when the draws were made late last year. Now the scene is set for a final that should, we hope, live up to the extremely high standard that these teams have set between them over the past 10 years.

We lamented the fact that Paul Flynn departed the Déise stage without winning an All-Ireland medal. We also wrote the whole Waterford team off when they made their usual early exit in 2003, '04, '05, '06, '07 and '09. We wrote the definitive obituary in '08. But here they are again. Browne, McGrath, Shanahan, Prendergasts, Mullane and Kelly are still hurling.

Will this year be any different?

Can they lay the ghost of '59 to rest at last?

Well, for now all we can say is that they are on the shortest route. Their opening game in this year's Munster championship wouldn't inspire too much confidence though. It was only when the old guard (both Prendergasts in particular) arrived that Waterford took hold of the game against a young Clare team.

But they won't be fazed by their opponents.

They have participated in some classics over the past 10 years. Waterford, even when the odds were very much in their favour though, have made hard work of beating Cork.

They only just beat a Cork side who were minus the Semplegate three in '07 and again in '08 they were very hesitant in putting away a not-very-well-prepared Cork side that had spent the winter in the boardroom.

Cork, on the other hand, have two All-Ireland titles garnered in that period. Are they contenders this year?

Up to a month ago the answer would have been an emphatic no. Now it's a maybe.

Last Sunday, we are told, they played in second gear. They did that alright but psychologically they were never going to be able to move above second gear. They were going to win. The bookies knew it. The odds ran between 50 and a 100 to one on. The Cork fans knew it, so many of them stayed at home and watched in on telly. The Limerick fans knew it and didn't travel at all. The media all knew it.

So Cork really learned nothing and Limerick continue their backward descent.

However, we have two fairly evenly matched teams in what should be a cracker of a Munster final.

The "drive for five" began in earnest in Croke Park last Sunday. Maybe the word earnest should have been omitted because Dublin were far short of earnest on the day. It's not too often we see an Anthony Daly-coached team seemingly so short of spirit.

This though, was a fairly heartless performance. The sweeper ploy is a very defeatist tactic. It is more or less conceding victory to the opposition before a ball is pucked. Kilkenny were well prepared for it. So, from the off, the game just stumbled along with very little intensity. There was never any danger the Cats would come under any serious pressure.

Where do Dublin go from here?

Well, for a start, they will hope to draw Limerick in the next round. A comprehensive win there might instill some confidence. But make no doubt about it, they have regressed over the past few months. On the form they showed last Sunday the top five teams wouldn't fear them.

Kilkenny, like Cork, stayed in second gear. Tommy Walsh though didn't.

Brian Cody will not have been happy with that performance. They had too many wides, too many wrong options taken and too many first touch mistakes. Based on the form displayed last Sunday, he won't be using Richie Hogan or TJ Reid at centre or full forward.

Noel Hickey wasn't overly impressive either at full back. But with a subs bench that contains the likes of Cha Fitzpatrick, Tennyson, Kavanagh, Fogarty, Larkin and Lyng he has many aces to play if needed.

But it was their first game and they have a bit of improving to do.

The problem for the rest is if they do too much improving we might be looking at six or seven in a row and not five.

In the second game in Croke Park, Galway did what Galway do most often. They failed to deliver when expected to. This game was always going to be tricky for them but if they are the contenders they're purported to be, then they will have to bring consistency to their play.

Their defence, apparently, has had better days.

But they have a second chance and will probably benefit from the game, if they win it of course.

While Offaly will be very pleased with their display, they will find it difficult to win on Saturday. The element of surprise is now gone, if it was ever there.

This weekend will see the first faller in this year's championship when Carlow and Laois renew acquaintance in the qualifiers - having already met in the Leinster championship just over a month ago.

It would be easy to be dismissive of both these sides and while the cold fact still remains that this is a bottom of the table clash, these teams are making positive strides and are improving.

Carlow, remember, beat Wexford in this year's league and only just lost to Clare, while Laois had a fairly good league campaign.

Niall Rigney and his backroom team deserve much credit for the positive state of Laois hurling at present and they should prevail at the weekend to ensure another future step on the learning curve.