Preview: Cork to grind out another famous victory

Kilkenny will look to the first-half of the 2014 All-Ireland decider between the counties as the template for thwarting Cork’s three-in-a-row bid.

The Cats upset Paudie Murray’s side with a ferocious work-rate and their success in closing down the space afforded to the opposition’s key players is something they would love to replicate.

Kilkenny led 1-6 to 0-4 at the break two years ago and it took the mother and father of second-half displays to swing it for the Rebels. Cork, on the other hand, will look to the second half of last year’s semi-final meeting where their direct running at the Kilkenny defence yielded 3-3. Julia White was integral to that game-plan and her absence tomorrow will be sorely missed.