Joe Kavanagh

Age: 25.

Height: 6'0".

Occupation: Electrician.

Club: Nemo Rangers.

Honours: 1 Railway Cup (1999); 1 NFL (1999); 1 All-Ireland club (1994); 1 Cork SFC (1993); 1 All Star (1993); 4 Munster SFC (1999, '95, '94,' 93); 1 All-Ireland Under-21 medal (1994); 1 All-Ireland MFC (1991).

When the evenings closed in and the temperatures fell in the autumn of 1996, Joe Kavanagh's thoughts were on the southern hemisphere. Larry Tompkins was due to take over as Cork manager but the young forward felt fatigued and took an extended break in the sun.

Word filtered through of the tough fitness regime that Tompkins had implemented. Kavanagh shuddered in the sunshine and counted his blessings.

"I was back for the (National) League semi-final that year, came on as a substitute. I'd say I was possibly fresher than some of the lads at that stage, but it didn't matter anyway because Clare knocked us out of the championship a few weeks later. It was a short summer."

Kavanagh had exploded on the scene early, elbowing his way onto the 1993 scene as a forward of no ordinary talent. Thundered a goal past Derry that September and found himself celebrating Christmas with an All Star award on the mantelpiece. He was just 20.

Nowadays he finds himself in the role of a sage from which the younger stars might seek counsel, although he laughs at the notion.

an O'Sullivan have been there before as well so they know the scene. The thing is, everybody has been in this situation at one level or another. Even the league final gone, ok, league final gone, okay it wasn't a classic, but it was still a final with the hype and whatever. So, really, I think all the lads have a maturity about them at this stage."

He plays the game like he talks - brightly, with exuberance. He still possesses the ability to cut through and break a game open like few other players. This year, he has found himself operating at full forward and at centre half.

"I suppose full forward would be my preferred position but it can be a lonely place too if the ball doesn't come into you. The thing about playing on the 40 is that you can move about and ghost away from players and pop the ball over the bar. But with Don (Davis) using a roving role now, it's more cluttered around the 40."

He hates the run-up to big games, but this time Cork's win in the first leg of the double lent a hand. "We went up to Croke Park to watch the hurlers play Offaly and saw the ground then and just watching that whole occasion really helped us. Now it's just a matter of waiting for the game to come."

Sunday presents the chance to make good on the promise he displayed in his first All-Ireland.

"Well, it's six years since we were last in a final and it's not getting any easier. Sometimes you think back to 1993 and wonder `what if. . .'. Things went against us that day, the sending off of Tony Davis really upset our rhythm. But Sunday is a new chance."