Kerry firepower to down Rebels again

THE expected absence of Cork captain Graham Canty may not decide tomorrow’s Munster SFC final in Páirc Uí Chaoimh, but it will make it much more difficult to topple the All-Ireland champions.

And, on the Kerry side, it would offset the loss of Paul Galvin and the unfortunate Declan O’Sullivan to a much greater extent than could have been imagined up a few days ago.

With Canty in the team — and it was rumoured that he would operate from half-forward — the prospects of a home victory were looking quite promising. We have only to think back to the All-Ireland semi-final clash of the counties two years ago (after he had damaged his knee in Cork’s Munster final replay success) to appreciate how much his strength and leadership qualities would be missed.

Apart from considerations, it has all the appearances of an intriguing clash, not least because Cork were saved from certain defeat in the semi-final by two late goals (the second from Canty winning the match) and Kerry were not over-impressive in their semi-final against Clare. However, we can largely ignore these results because Munster final games between the teams usually take on a life of their own.

Last year’s clash in Killarney provided an example, when only two points separated the teams — and that was after Cork had claims for a penalty ignored. And, the history of clashes over the last 30 years would show plenty of other examples where Cork teams produce strong performances when least expected. However, in recent years Kerry have shown a facility to compete at a much higher level in the All-Ireland series, leaving Cork with some embarrassing failures.

While Kerry have more or less a tried and tested formation, Cork give the impression of a team in almost constant transition. If anything, the attack is its Achilles heel because while it features individuals with a lot of potential (Donncha O’Connor and Daniel Goulding for instance), overall it lacks punch. And, it’s all the more interesting that James Masters (leading scorer last year, with 3-30) again finds himself on the bench.

It may very well be a case of the old story, with Kerry craft and superior ability providing them with a cutting edge in attack — which will require Kieran Donaghy and Colm Cooper to be near their best — a winning midfield through Seamus Scanlon’s mobility complementing Darragh Ó Se’s industry and a dominant half-back line. In that event, they are certain to win.

Either way I expect them to hold on to their title. Without Canty, Cork may find it harder to compete at a physical level, but there is still enough talent in the side to ensure a close game.