Dominant Rebel sides hoping for double delight in Portlaoise

CORK will be looking to maintain an enviable record in the All-Ireland JFC and All-Ireland IHC when they face semi-final clashes in Portlaoise this afternoon.

Mossie Barrett’s junior football charges are first into action against Louth at 3pm and they are on the back of excellent form in Munster when they dismissed of the challenges of Waterford, Kerry and Clare. Their defence is backboned by Enda Wiseman and Richard O’Sullivan, while Andrew O’Sullivan and Chris O’Donovan form a powerful midfield pairing. In attack the scoring onus will be on Daniel O’Donovan, Colm O’Driscoll and Robert O’Mahony. But centre-forward Cathrach Keane looks set to be absent after suffering a serious knee injury in action for Carbery on Thursday night.

Louth beat Longford by five points in the Leinster final and will look to former senior Colin Goss at full-back and forward duo Kevin Rogers and Hugh McGinn for inspiration.

The match forms part of a double-header with Cork and Galway then clashing in the All-Ireland IHC semi-final at 5pm. Cork were in stunning form in the Munster championship, particularly in their crushing final defeat of Waterford.

Anthony Nash is an excellent shot-stopper in goal while Darragh McSweeney and Ross Cashman are strong defensive operators. Cork’s attack ran up a whopping 5-25 against Waterford in the provincial decider with the full-forward line of Maurice O’Sullivan, Luke O’Farrell and Stephen Moylan all in terrific form.

The Connacht team will be backed by members of the Cappataggle side that reached this year’s All-Ireland Club IHC final but with no competitive match in the run up to this game, Cork will be strongly tipped to advance to a final meeting with Kilkenny.