JOHN O'KEEFFE FOOTBALL ANALYST:New-look Cork will be determined to avenge last year's All-Ireland final humiliation, but Kerry's attacking stars will be hard to contain

IN THE lead-up to tomorrow's game I can't help noticing the contrast with Munster finals in the 1970s and 1980s. They were all-or-nothing affairs and, as a result, nothing was left to chance in the physical and mental preparations. You simply had to be right on the day. Down in Kerry there was a sense of anticipation everywhere you went. A full house was assured, be it in Cork or Killarney.

The second-chance option of the modern championship means the build-up is not the same anymore. The mindset of the players, always so important, is different going into this game.

In the motivational stakes, Cork surely have an edge. They will be desperate to produce a big performance and at least partially atone for their All-Ireland final collapse. The players will feel they let themselves down last September and this presents an ideal chance to mark that down as a once-off. They must be straining at the leash to set the record straight.

Also, victory puts them back into the genuine contender bracket for this year.

Then there is the residue from the players' strike. They must prove a point that their actions weren't for nothing. It should drive them on.

That Limerick stretched them to the limit and Conor Counihan was able to field so many new players means they have already found out a lot about themselves as a unit. All Kerry's opening win over Clare will be remembered for is the Paul Galvin incident.

I'm taking a chance here, but I believe Cork have named a phoney team. Surely Nicholas Murphy will not be operating at wing forward; he is not the type of player to be tracking back with the classy forays of Killian Young or Tomás Ó Sé.

I expect he will go into midfield and Derek Kavanagh will move to full back, in turn freeing up Graham Canty to roam.

It is important to note that Limerick's John Galvin got plenty of change out of the Cork midfield the last day. It is equally crucial to highlight Kerry's long-term reliance on Darragh Ó Sé. This simply cannot go on. Darragh cannot forever remain the player he has been. Others must come into the middle and help him carry the burden. Cork can gain parity here.

All this depends on Canty shaking off his shoulder problem. If he does, and as per usual it is vital to Cork's chances, I can see him starting at half forward, but he will drift in front of his defenders. If that shoulder problem persists, he wouldn't relish a man-to-man job on Kieran Donaghy.

Regardless, Cork must have learned from the cardinal error of last season: going man-on-man with Donaghy and Colm Cooper is a high-risk strategy that rarely pays off. At least one extra man is required in front of this ruthless, twin strike force. Bryan Sheehan will move out the field, leaving plenty of space inside for these two to exploit.

Canty is the man to snuff this out. He is the one obvious leader on the Cork team. I made him Ireland captain during my time as International Rules manager and he did a fine job. I can't speak too highly of the man. He is too restricted at full back and more value in a free role.

Counihan has brought in a new broom and he will have seen with clear eyes what failed them last year. He is not going to go down the same road twice. If it was against Armagh, there would certainly be an extra man inside, and Kerry are no different.

I couldn't believe they never changed their defensive alignment in last year's final.

A lot of the attacks for Kerry begin in the half-back line, particularly coming off the forward runs of the new captain, Tomás Ó Sé. He can be inspirational on his day and, if allowed, he has the cut of Páidí at his peak. He has even become more astute in his use of the ball - there always seems to be a killer pass or score in him at vital junctures of a match.

Aidan O'Mahony is another who revels in getting forward. He likes to seek out physical contact early on, which always seems to lift those around him. Pearse O'Neill and Seán O'Brien will need to have their workman heads on them.

This game will be primarily about hard graft.

In the league final, Derry made the Kerry midfield redundant and therefore kept the half-back line on the back foot. That remains the only available blueprint for toppling the All-Ireland champions.

The loss of Galvin and Declan O'Sullivan is colossal really. Both men bring an infectious appetite in the hunt for breaking ball. O'Sullivan's strength and vision on the ball cannot be replaced, nor can his intelligent football brain. Galvin's mere presence is a massive loss.

And yet, Kerry have had time to adjust as both were absent during the National League. This is a good opportunity for Donnacha Walsh in particular - while he lacks that vital injection of pace, he is a workhorse. I see him more suited to the centre forward position with Eoin Brosnan on the wing.

This also marks a second coming for Seán O'Sullivan. He is a proven and valuable impact sub alongside Darren O'Sullivan, but hasn't produced a performance over 70 minutes. Now is his big chance.

Both Seán and Darren have almost perfected the 20-minute cameo once a game has loosened up, but being in from the start is an entirely different challenge. If required, one from Darren, Tommy Walsh and the in-form David Moran can come in.

The Cork bench also have some impressive names, in particular James Masters. I feel Counihan didn't go with him as he has been easily marked out of previous Munster finals by Marc Ó Sé.

I firmly believe this contest will be in the melting pot midway through the second half, and that would be an ideal time to drop Masters into the mix. He is, after all, a natural scoring forward and there are not too many of them around these days.

I also like the look of the Cork full-forward line. They have resisted the option of selecting the big target man Michael Cussen at full forward, instead opting for the pace and footballing skills of Daniel Goulding, Donnacha O'Connor and John Hayes.

O'Connor has really impressed me in the past two seasons. Quick ball in will be imperative.

My gut feeling is that this is not a bad Cork team. I believe they will look inside themselves as proud football men representing their county and seek to prove their worth for themselves and the people of Cork. Past failure can be a huge motivating device if used correctly.

That said, and considering Kerry's form has been poor, judging from the Clare and Derry games, I still cannot see Cork adequately handling the Cooper and Donaghy combination. They are so lethal and only need a quick flash of possession to decide a tight match.