Cork's minor hurlers have reached tomorrow's All-Ireland final via the back-door system, but they are no longer in a position to lure opposition, not least Galway, into any kind of false security following their defeat of Kilkenny at the semi-final stage.
It is unlikely that Kilkenny dropped their guard against the defeated Munster finalists but if the very impressive Leinster champions felt in any way reassured when facing a back-door team, a forewarned Galway will not be in a similar frame of mind.
It is now fully accepted that Cork's defeat by Tipperary in that Munster final (1-12 to 1-6) at Pβirc U∅ Chaoimh was due, in the main, to the absence of key Cork players Kieran Murphy of Sarsfields and Na Piarsaigh's John Gardiner.
When Murphy and Gardiner rejoined the fold against Kilkenny, Cork were seen in their true light, a confident side now flying on both wings. Roaming full forward Murphy who switched to right corner where he will start on Sunday hit 3-6 to help devastate the Leinster champions.
Gardiner was inspirational at centre back, but Murphy's value to the side is clearly documented in a massive personal tally of 4-33 in the championship so far.
Galway, with their record-chasing captain and midfielder Ger Farragher poised to share Jimmy Doyle's three-in-a-row minor All-Ireland medals, remain extremely cautious about the task ahead.
""It's in the lap of the gods," says manager Josie Harte. "To be honest, we are facing quite an awesome task. Cork, and especially their full-back line, will be hard to beat."
Farragher, a member of Galway's winning teams in the past two seasons, must be tired of people asking him about Doyle's record and his chances of emulating it. His reaction is: "I won't be thinking about that until after the final whistle tomorrow."
Cork coach Seβn Considine and his fellow selectors make two changes from the side that started against Kilkenny on the left flank of attack. This means that Peter Morgan and Stephen O'Sullivan lose out to the players who replaced them during the Kilkenny match John O'Connor and Fergus Murphy respectively.
The midfield battle between Cork's Kevin Hartnett and Brian Smidy and Farragher and Tom Tierney could be as vital as how the respective rearguards deal with talented attackers.
Cork's defeat of Kilkenny justifiably makes them ever so slight favourites.
CORK : M Coleman; J O'Mahony C O Connor K Goggin; S Murphy J Gardiner M Prout; K Hartnett B Smidy; K Murphy (Erins Own) T O'Leary J O'Connor; K Murphy (Sarsfield) S O hAilpin F Murphy.
GALWAY: P Dullaghan; C Dervan T Og Regan C Finnerty; E Lynch S Kavanagh J O'Leary; T Tierney G Farragher; B Lucas K Hayes A Cullinane; J Gantley J Maher K Burke.
