No half measuresNicky English on how Kilkenny might curtail the Cork half-back line: Seán Óg Ó hÁilpín, John Gardiner and Ronan Curran are as good a half-back unit as I have seen. Very athletic, yet equally powerful. The best compliment I can give is that Seán Óg is the least skilful of the three.
A truly great centre back must stop a forward running at them, yet also be able to hurl. Ger Henderson and Sean McMahon are the best I have seen and Curran can easily stand beside them. Curran was off form last year but nearly won an All Star with his performance in the final. A third All Star in four years is a certainty if he avoids a complete collapse on Sunday.
Attacking the Cork half backs starts with James McGarry. His puck-outs must give the Kilkenny half forwards a 60-40 advantage for them to stand a chance.
I expect Eddie Brennan and Eoin Larkin to start in the half-forward line, with Martin Comerford and Henry Shefflin to be there at times. Brennan may not have performed in previous All-Ireland finals but that was as a corner forward. He impressed me as a ball-winning wing forward against Galway and Clare.
Limerick adopted an aggressive stance against the Cork half-back line, but Kilkenny know more is required. They must be physical, yes, but physical on the ball.
All Stars in the making
Cork and Kilkenny have swamped the All Stars in recent times, averaging 10 winners in the previous three teams, but two players in particular deserve mention.
Since 2000, Henry Shefflin (Sunday is his 35th championship appearance) has been a banker on the honours list - bar the mini-revival of Tipperary in 2001 - and take it as given that a sixth All Star will be winging its way to the Ballyhale Shamrocks craftsman. His 2-39 in four games leaves him just two points adrift of Eoin Kelly on the sharpshooter's list.
Brian Corcoran (38th championship game) plays his sixth All-Ireland final this Sunday. In 1992, he picked up an All Star from corner back. In 1999 he was named player of the year from centre back. Then came a two-year hiatus before returning to fill the void left by Setanta Ó hÁilpín's departure to Australia in 2004. A third individual accolade followed, this time as a full forward. Throw in an All-Ireland football final appearance in 1993 and the word legend barely seems adequate.
Previous Meetings
In 2004 Cork denied Kilkenny their second three-in-a-row.
Most recent final meetings: 2004 Cork 0-17 Kilkenny 0-9 2003 Kilkenny 1-14 Cork 1-11 1999 Cork 0-13 Kilkenny 0-12 1992 Kilkenny 3-10 Cork 1-12
Minor Change
Galway minor manager Mattie Murphy has made three alterations to the side that overcame Cork ahead of Sunday's All-Ireland final against Tipperary.
Martin Corcoran, Shane Quinn and Gary Hennelly come in at the expense of Gary Burke, Kevin Teehan and Pete Killilea. Laurence Tully moves from half back to wing forward.
James Skehill and Joe Canning survive from last year's All-Ireland winning side. Canning, in fact, is seeking a third minor medal.
GALWAY (MHC v Tipperary): J Skehill; J Ryan, M McMahon, A Moylan; D Burke, K Keane, S Quinn; E Forde, G Lally; A Harte, M Corcoran, L Tully; S Coen, J Canning, G Hennelly.
