Now for the serious stuff!

Diarmuid O’Flynn talks to Kilkenny manager Brian Cody ahead of their league clash with Cork tomorrow.

AFTER a largely farcical first phase dominated by one-sided matches, the Allianz Hurling League resumes this weekend, and we're down to the serious business in the top tier.

Match of the day in a full programme has to be the meeting of Cork and Kilkenny in Pairc Ui Chaoimh, a repeat of the last two All-Ireland finals, with both topping their respective divisions in phase one. Cork are unbeaten, five wins from five, while Kilkenny suffered just one reverse, a surprise home loss to Clare in round 4.

They recovered immediately from that result however, getting the train firmly back on track by hammering Dublin 2-27 to 0-11 last time out.

With attendances in the Hurling League disappointing to date, Kilkenny manager Brian Cody reckons this pairing could signal a change in that trend. "I would expect a decent crowd. It's a big game for us, a big game for both teams, whichever team wins will have two points in the bag and put them in a strong position to qualify for the League final."

Cody has never made any secret of the fact that, contrary to many counties (Cork included), Kilkenny rate the Hurling League highly, and in both 2002 and 2003, when the Cats went on to win the All-Ireland title, they also won the League.

Last year they lost that title failing to qualify for the top section in phase two and it signalled the start of a poor year for Kilkenny. That failure was costly, reckons Cody.

"We would have much preferred to have been in the top tier, but as it was, we ended up playing three nothing games, they were like challenge matches. There wasn't the same bite, the competitive nature was missing, and you need that to prepare for the championship."

It hurt, and in one of the shocks of the season, Kilkenny went down to Wexford in their first championship outing. "Certainly it cost us, we were poor that day, maybe if we'd had three serious matches to prepare, we'd have been more ready, though it's hard to say for sure, at this stage."

There was going to be no repeat of that mistake this year, and despite that loss to Clare, Kilkenny powered their way to the top of their group, including decisive wins over Galway and Waterford along the way. Now, the aim is to go one better, win this League, pave the way to another championship-winning season. "I'd like to get there, I'd prefer to see us winning the League more than anyone else," says Cody; "This game won't be a deciding factor in the championship, whichever side wins, wins, and essentially it will be just one more match in the League. But the League is a title worth winning, I've always said that."

Cork will be without six of their starting All-Ireland fifteen from last September mainly due to injury problems, Brian Corcoran, Timmy McCarthy, Wayne Sherlock and Brian Murphy are all ruled out, as is John Browne, who came on as a sub in that game, while Tom Kenny and Joe Deane are rested. With the outstanding half-back line of Gardiner/Curran/O hAilpin restored, the O'Connor twins Ben and Jerry both back in action and newcomer Neil Ronan on fire, it is still a formidable side.

Certainly Cody has been impressed: "I think Cork have cruised through the League, they haven't really been extended, they're playing in second or third gear. Wexford gave them a decent game, the Tipp match was reasonable, but Cork are still fresh, they're strong, they're confident."

Kilkenny too have had their personnel problems, a combination of injury and the unavailability of the James Stephens players, otherwise engaged in their successful pursuit of the All-Ireland club title. The James Stephens players are now available, but injuries are still a problem, with a result that Cody is still not certain of his championship fifteen. "Henry (Shefflin) has been out for quite a while, Mick Kavanagh the same, we've had different injury problems with a few others from week to week. We haven't played with a full hand yet, so nothing is really finalised. We're happy to be in the top tier of the second phase, that's important, we're going to have three very good games over the next few weeks, and that will help clear up a few issues with regard to the championship as well."

The pity, of course, is that so much time was wasted in the earlier rounds. It's a set-up that has come in for a lot of criticism, and Cody would be happier to see a return to a real top division from the outset of the League. "Obviously it would be more beneficial if every match is competitive, you'd see bigger crowds as well. Attendances haven't been great so far this year, which is understandable, when people believe they're going to see a one-sided game. We're playing Cork now, then Tipp and Wexford to come at home, and those are all very competitive games. That's what people want to see."

CORK: D. Og Cusack; C. O'Connor, D. O'Sullivan, P. Mulcahy; J. Gardiner, R. Curran, S. Og O hAilpin; P. Tierney, J. O'Connor; B. O'Connor, N. McCarthy, N. Ronan; K. Murphy, G. McCarthy, J. O'Callaghan.

KILKENNY: To be announced.