Meet the Cork team
1 Donal Cusack
Club: Cloyne
Age: 29
Height: 6ft
Weight: 13st
Occupation: Electrical facility technician
Having his best year after some very good ones. Shot stopping used to be questionable but any doubts have been long since dispelled. He made very difficult saves look easy against Waterford. Controls flow of game with his puck-outs.
2 Brian Murphy
Club: Bride Rovers
Age: 23
Height: 5ft 11in
Weight: 12st
Occupation: Financial adviser
Best corner back in the game. Totally unselfish, just concentrates on making sure his man isn't centrally involved. Quick, intelligent and a good reader of the game, he's not afraid to play mind games with the corner forward.
3 Diarmuid O'Sullivan
Club: Cloyne
Age: 28
Height: 6ft 1in
Weight: 15st
Occupation: Sales manager
For all the perceived vulnerability, he has yet to be found wanting this year. Plays with a keen physical edge and aggression that sometimes get the better of him. This was curbed by Donal O'Grady but he's relapsed a bit recently.
4 Pat Mulcahy (Captain)
Club: Newtownshandrum
Age: 31
Height: 6ft 2in
Weight: 13st 7lb
Occupation: Permanent TSB network analyst
He's naturally a centre back, but his credentials in the corner are clear from the fact he's keeping Wayne Sherlock off the team. He has a tendency to foul but is very experienced. A challenge for any corner forward, let alone one as green as Aidan Fogarty.
5 John Gardiner
Club: Na Piarsaigh
Age: 23
Height: 6ft 2in
Weight: 13st 11lb
Occupation: CIT student
Outstanding player. Came to the rescue in times of crisis last year. One of the best defenders in the game and is second only to Seán McMahon as a long-range free taker. He can be distracted by niggling when he shouldn't be.
6 Ronan Curran
Club: St Finbarr's
Age: 25
Height: 6ft 1in
Weight: 12st 7lb
Occupation: Mycro hurling helmet sales
The best centre backs have to be able to hold the middle and be great hurlers. My top three are Pat Henderson, Seán McMahon and now Curran. Slipped a bit last year but he's been majestic this season when the pressure has come on.
7 Seán Óg Ó hAilpín
Club: Na Piarsaigh
Age: 29
Height: 6ft 2in
Weight: 14st
Occupation: Bank official
Fantastic athlete but not playing as well as last year and maybe the effort he made as captain took it out of him. Best match was in the semi-final, which brought him back to the days he made his name as a destructive man marker.
8 Tom Kenny
Club: Grenagh
Age: 25
Height: 6ft
Weight: 13st
Occupation: Accountant
Even by the team's standards he has a particularly good engine. Along with Seán Óg the best athlete in the game. Typifies the new type of midfielder as a runner and good hurler. Formidable when the heat comes on at the end of a match.
9 Jerry O'Connor
Club: Newtownshandrum
Age: 27
Height: 5ft 11in
Weight: 12st
Occupation: Garda
The scoring contribution from midfield is big by usual standards. O'Connor gets key scores when the pressure's on and his pace and ability to link with forwards have been vital. Maybe he's a little off last year's form but not much.
10 Timmy McCarthy
Club: Castlelyons
Age: 28
Height: 6ft 2in
Weight: 13st 5lb
Occupation: Farmer
Took a long time to convince Cork supporters but he is very effective. In hurling you can't have half-back lines dominating and you need physical, hard-running wing forwards. As a bonus he clipped three points against Waterford.
11 Niall McCarthy
Club: Carrigtwohill
Age: 24
Height: 6ft 1in
Weight: 14st 7lb
Occupation: Self-employed
I've been a bit disappointed by him because two years ago he was potentially one of the best centre forwards I'd seen. Needs to move beyond the bustle and curb unreliable shooting. But he shaded Ken McGrath in the semi-final and not many do that.
12 Ben O'Connor
Club: Newtownshandrum
Age: 27 Height: 5ft 10in
Weight: 13st 11lb
Occupation: Hurley manufacturer
Considering he's been carrying an injury, he's done really well. Very few would have had the guts to take on Brendan Cummins on the inside. When Cork needed a long free under pressure against Limerick he delivered from 70 yards on a messy day.
13 Neil Ronan
Club: Ballyhea
Age: 27
Height: 5ft 11in
Weight: 13st
Occupation: Quantity surveyor
Used in the past two years as an impact sub, he was originally a big hope. Back on the team the last day he did his bit. Although more valuable inside, he may play on the wing because of Ben O'Connor's restricted mobility.
14 Brian Corcoran
Club: Erin's Own
Age: 33
Height: 6ft 1in
Weight: 14st 7lb
Occupation: IM manager
Cork are more dependent on him now than a couple of years ago and he is as comfortable at full forward as he ever was at centre back. His desire is phenomenal, as seen in his fighting for that last ball in the semi-final.
15 Joe Deane
Club: Killeagh
Age: 28
Height: 5ft 7in
Weight: 11st 10lb
Occupation: Bank official
Although he dipped a bit in the semi-final, Deane is in excellent form and hit some crucial frees. I think he's done a lot of preparatory work this year and looks way fitter. Great hands, experienced, smart and able to draw frees.
