Cork's long lay-off gives Wexford chance of upset
It's a tribute to the policies pursued by manager Donal O'Grady and his co-selectors and equally a reward for the commitment of the players which promoted such a positive approach and, in turn, a realisation of their potential. Opponents Wexford have had to work harder to reach tomorrow's semi-final in Croke Park (3.30pm) and are deserving of more respect than they have gained from some quarters.
Cork are popular favourites to win and have been since the semi-final pairings became obvious. Neutral opinion still favours Kilkenny or Tipperary to take the title but this view could alter over the next few weeks depending on how the semi-finals pan out. There is the intriguing possibility of a Cork/Tipperary decider, but nothing has happened so far to cause Kilkenny to lose the respect that they have enjoyed all year.
Support for a Cork success stems largely from the consistency they showed in their two outings so far. The improvement that was evidenced towards the closing stages of the League earned them a prestigious victory over Clare and then a deserved win against Waterford in the Munster final. On closer examination, however, it would be accepted Clare played well below standard, while Waterford didn't play up to form either. And, by and large, they were authors of their downfall through some poor finishing, with the unfortunate Ken McGrath one of the bigger offenders.
It's arguable the best hurling produced by Wexford all year was in the second half of the qualifier game with Waterford in Nowlan Park when the tighter pitch suited their older players much more than Croke Park. They only came to life in the second half against Offaly (at the same venue) and in the Leinster final Kilkenny were in a different class once they got their act together in attack after half-time.
By their own admission, Wexford got out of jail against Antrim in the quarter-final, a win hugely influenced by Rory McCarthy's second-half midfield dominance and made possible by a Paul Codd goal from a late free.
Put simply, they blow hot and cold too much to be treated as serious title contenders. That's not to say they aren't capable of winning, far from it. If Darragh Ryan plays an active part, their defence can be as formidable as the best around because he has such a commanding presence in front of goal. Midfield may not be of any great consequence because the use of the new ball means puck-outs are going well beyond it, so, the only question relates to the threat posed by their attack.
However, at this stage Cork are far from being the finished article. Apart from the hiccup in the Munster final (when it was probably a mistake to start the unwell Diarmuid O'Sullivan), the team has performed impressively. Wayne Sherlock provides terrific leadership and both Ronan Curran and Tom Kenny have made giant strides at half-back in a relatively short period of time. John Gardiner's value at midfield is complemented by his ability as a free-taker, and the goal-scoring potential of the inside men, enhanced by the menacing play of Setanta Ó hAilpin, is high. However, while Niall McCarthy has settled in at centre-forward, only Ben O'Connor' s pace and craft poses a significant threat as a scorer.
Another question to be asked about Cork relates to their long lay-off, which has been partially offset by the involvement of players with their clubs and the few who were playing U21 side. Lest we forget, it proved to be a serious impediment for Waterford when they ran up against Clare in the semi-final last year and were beaten. The Munster final was played on June 29, five weeks ago. In contrast, Wexford were involved in the Leinster final on July 5 and played twice since.
There is the added consideration that Cork have not played in the 'new' Croke Park, unlike Wexford who experienced the venue twice in recent times and again last year. The atmosphere and the general surroundings can be quite intimidating and while Cork can call on nine of the 1999 winning side - including current captain Alan Browne who didn't start any game in the campaign - the others are likely to find it a very different to Thurles even though the crowd may be the same, around 50,000.
Wexford, too, have a hard core of experienced players with six remaining from the side which started in the 1996 final and it's noteworthy that in physical terms, the attack has been boosted by the return of Larry Murphy and the selection of Adrian Fenlon at wing-forward. Lack of physique was certainly one of the problems they encountered in the Leinster final, but that has since been addressed to a large degree. The biggest challenge will be to get a better return to support the efforts of Codd, who continues to carry the main burden of responsibility.
Potentially, Cork have more to offer with a settled combination. And, I would expect them to win if they succeed in building on their Munster final display. Whether or not they will be inhibited by their long lay-off is difficult to say because counties can cope with that differently, as we saw in the respective displays of Galway and Kerry in the football quarter-finals last weekend. Nevertheless, it has to be a worry for the management.
It will suit Wexford to go in as underdogs and deep down they know they have a really good chance of advancing if they can get their attack to perform at the same level as defence.
That scenario, by no means improbable, could very well produce a surprise outcome.
