Championship 2006: Ian O'Riordan finds at least one Cork hurler willing to admit the possibility of a certain historic treble

It seems the Cork hurlers finally realise they can no longer avoid talk of the three-in-a-row. Midfielder Tom Kenny was in Croke Park yesterday at the launch of the slightly less glamorous title at stake on the weekend after next - the All-Ireland hurling sevens - and when the question of three successive senior titles was raised he hardly flinched.

"We said earlier in the year that we just can't speak about the three-in-a-row until the All-Ireland final, if we're there," said Kenny. "Now that we're there we just have to acknowledge first that we're going for an All-Ireland title. But yeah, it's a three-in-a-row as well.

"We see that as a bonus, as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. It could also be the last one of our careers so we have to make sure we make the most of it. So all we talk about now is winning the All-Ireland, not winning three-in-a-row.

"The Cork footballers being involved up until last Sunday took away some of the attention, but I suppose from here on the hype does begin in earnest. But this team has been down this road a few times before and I don't think any of us will be fazed by it. We're well-enough experienced."

Unlike Kilkenny - whose defence has been disrupted with the loss of JJ Delaney - Cork are right on track with preparations for the final. The county board has postponed the club championship to reduce risk of injury, leaving the focus entirely on Sunday week.

"We've just been preparing as best we can," added Kenny, "as we would any other game. Of course it's an All-Ireland final so we have to make sure every little detail is worked on. But we've another 10 days to go. Tomorrow night will be the last hard night and then we'll just freshen up.

"One or two fellows are on the physio table, but as far as I know everyone is in tip-top shape and will be ready for Sunday week. The management just felt that with the three-in-a-row bid in place it would be better if we didn't play any club games, and just trained as hard as we can. It's unlikely we'll be in this position again in our lifetime so it was right to make the most of it.

"It would have been very hard if, say, Brian Corcoran or Joe Deane picked up a knock in a club game. Of course it's not ideal for all the other club players, who have been training away all summer, and had maybe only two games in four or five months. But we certainly appreciate the gesture by the county board."

Kenny pointed to Delaney's injury as an example of what can go wrong: "Our sympathies go to him, because that's a terrible injury to get at any time of the year, especially the week before the All-Ireland. It's hard because you have to go hammer and tongs in training, work as hard as you can . . . or else you just won't be tuned in come the final."

Assuming they do avoid injuries it seems inevitable Cork's starting line-up will once again remain unchanged. Cathal Naughton, however, must have put himself in contention for a starting place after his show in the semi-final win over Waterford - scoring fine points with his first touch, on 57 minutes, and his second, on 59 minutes, and taking a pass from Joe Deane to score a fine goal.

"Certainly Cathal has a chance of starting," agreed Kenny, "but not just him. Everyone that's training with the panel is going well and has been over the past week or 10 days, and Cork are no different from other teams. If players are going really well in training there's no reason why they can't come on to the team and start the next day. We have 29 players on our panel. Granted, the starting 15 has been more or less the same all year, but there's any one of 13 or 14 lads who can come on and do a job."

The All-Ireland Sevens, now in its 34th year, takes place as usual on the eve of the senior final - Saturday, September 2nd - at the Kilmacud Crokes complex. Also attending yesterday's launch was the hurling co-ordinator Paudie Butler, who put the event into context.

"This is a truly national festival of hurling," he said, "and way more important than meets the eye. You have clubs from Down to Cork to London coming into contact, which you normally wouldn't, and that's so important, and I know from my own experience that friends are made at this event that last forever."

Kilmacud, incidentally, are currently developing a new indoor hurling arena and external hurling wall at a cost of €400,000.