FOR the all-conquering Cork Ladies Footballers, tomorrow’s TG4 All-Ireland SFC final against Monaghan represents, arguably, the most serious challenge they have had to face in recent years.

MARY O’CONNOR was all smiles yesterday, thinking how differently she felt after Cork lost to Wexford in last year’s Gala All-Ireland senior camogie final — and how an injury a week later kept her out of the All-Ireland Ladies Football final and all but finished her playing career.

CHAMPIONS Cork, bidding for four-in-a-row in this year’s TG4 All-Ireland Ladies senior football championship, go in against Tyrone in today’s semi-final in Tullamore under a certain amount of pressure after a far from convincing display in their last outing.

GAELIC football is not one of my preferred sports and hasn’t been for some time. There are still a few teams who play it in the right spirit, Cork and Kerry among those, as are Galway, but for the most part I’ve grown sick of the cynicism.