Gavin Cummiskey talks to Cork's captain as the Rebels begin their bid for a coveted three-in-a-row

As you were gentlemen. The only difference from the Cork team that swept past Clare in the closing stages of the thrilling 2005 All-Ireland semi-final - before beating Galway in a mediocre final - is that Seán Óg Ó hAilpíwill not lead them into action this Sunday.

The honour passes to Newtownshandrum defender Pat Mulcahy, who is an equally respected member of this Rebel squad. Seán Óg will be there too but Mulcahy doesn't seem overly fazed with the responsibility of leading Cork into a three-in-a-row campaign.

"No better man to work hard than Seán Óg," says Mulcahy. He's some man isn't he? Great leader? "In fairness to him last year he was a great leader. A fierce sound bloke. The best fella you can have next to you on the pitch."

Mulcahy and Seán Óg have another notable career parallel as both experienced near fatal car crashes that threatened to ruin their careers. Ó hAilpíis back a few years but Mulcahy missed the whole of 2004 before finally winning back the right corner back spot last season.

"It was a serious hand injury. I broke a bone in two places in my wrist. It took a long time to get it back. I had to have pins inserted. It took a full season to recover. I thought I was back in August but I wasn't fully fit. You need the winter to recover fully."

There is no point bringing up the three-in-a-row bid because no Corkman will ever look past The Banner after last August's scare. Clare had them by the throat. The greatest team of the generation was about to be dumped out of the championship.

Manager John Allen called ashore centre back Ronan Curran and the legendary veteran Brian Corcoran. The tide turned red thereafter.

"I think Clare got into a lead too early. If there was only 10 minutes to go, when they were up five or six points, it would have been very hard to pull it back. I remember thinking at the time - 18 points to 13 - 'we need a goal to get back into it'.

"But we tapped in three points and managed to tighten up at the back. It's well documented the changes that we made.

"All of a sudden it becomes a two- or three-point game. It's literally a break that will win it. The ball was in the middle of the field, the game was level, and it broke to Tom Kenny. It could have gone the other way to Colin Lynch and they'd get a score up the other end and we'd be standing here looking to win an All-Ireland after Clare winning it last year. That's how close it was. I was in the middle of it and I could see myself there was nothing in it."

That game enlivened a dour championship and a week later Galway turned it into a vintage year by beating Kilkenny in a nine-goal extravaganza. Hurling was safe from the begrudgers.

Can we expect to see the same levels of intensity on a May Sunday in Semple Stadium?

"We won't know until the day but I genuinely hope so. The last championship match Clare played was against us and the first one they play is now against us. We got to know each other fairly well in the last few years. I hope the same fire and passion of last year is there again."

We'll see. We'll hope.