Morgan confident Rebels can see off Sligo

ONE thing that can be said with a degree of certainty about the Cork footballers ahead of this afternoon’s All-Ireland qualifier in Portlaoise (4pm) is that they will treat Sligo with the respect they deserve.

Billy Morgan's team is two games away from an All-Ireland semi-final appearance, but their priority will be to get to Croke Park in eight days' time. And, based on their promising performance against Kerry, nobody would doubt that it's within their capability to advance.

This meeting is the latest of the many 'firsts' which the qualifiers have thrown up over the past five years. Coming just a week after the counties met in a junior semi-final, it represents the first competitive meeting at senior level. By my calculations, Sligo and Kilkenny are the only counties which Cork have never met either in the League or championship.