Cork must fire on all cylinders to halt Kilkenny juggernaut

As happened last year, as was always bound to happen anyway, Kilkenny the immortal has gradually become the Kilkenny the mortal.

However, as happened last year too, after suffering defeat in Leinster Kilkenny have still come back to inflict more pain on their Munster rivals.

Will Cork be next? Last year, after being taken apart in the first half of the Leinster final by Galway they recovered to annihilate Tipperary in their next game, the All-Ireland quarter-final. This year Kilkenny fell at an earlier obstacle, beaten by Dublin after a replay in the Leinster semi-final, which meant not one but two extra games to get to back to another All-Ireland quarter-final. Their victims in those two wins? Tipperary first, then Waterford after extra-time. Two of Munster’s finest.

All those extra games, that extra-time for those ageing muscles... you’d think Kilkenny would be struggling for legs as those games were reaching their conclusion. But you’d be wrong. In the last five minutes against Tipperary, and only a point ahead, the Cats drove on in the intense heat outscoring the Nowlan Park visitors three points to one.

Against Waterford in extra time, again on an evening of energy-sapping heat and this time in the massive expanse of Semple Stadium, Kilkenny again drove on and hit ten scores in the final 20 minutes.

In both games the Kilkenny defence was absolutely magnificent and got stronger as the game went on. In that Kilkenny defence are four over 30s, but JJ Delaney, Jackie Tyrrell, Tommy Walsh and Brian Hogan are hurling like colts. What then can Cork do to put a stop to their gallop? Former Wexford star Mick Jacob said it in these pages this week that they must attack, show no fear and if they get a run on Kilkenny show no mercy.

It all boils down to the Cork midfield and their six forwards. Goalkeeper and defence is solid but from there to the other end of the field Cork really must step it up.

Eoin Larkin and Michael Fennelly will probably form the Kilkenny midfield, Fennelly possibly alternating with Richie Power at centre-forward so Daniel Kearney and Christopher Joyce have a major responsibility here.

Up front, movement from start to finish, from one side to another using the full width of the pitch. Relentless attack yes but relentless defence also. Again as suggested by Mick Jacob, man-to-man battles and every one of those battles to be won. Conor Lehane, Pa Cronin, Jamie Coughlan, Luke O’Farrell, Seamus Harnedy, Patrick Horgan, regardless of form coming into the game there can be no taking a step back.

Do all the above and Cork have a chance and do what Mick Jacob’s Wexford did to another great Kilkenny team in 1976? Some day, one day – and they know this even in Kilkenny – all this will come to an end. Will that day be tomorrow?

Don’t think so.

Verdict: Kilkenny.