Close call, but Kerry to shade it

GAELIC GAMES:HALT THE pony trap rides and delay the coach tours of the Ring of Kerry until after half past three. There is only one show in town in Killarney tomorrow afternoon. The American visitors will have a chance to photograph a rare and splendid sight in the Kerry tourist capital tomorrow: 20,000 Cork folks coming into town with pep in their step. It has not happened often.

The latest installation of the Munster football final in Fitzgerald Stadium is the first of four national showdowns that promise to offer substantial proof as to why the provincial system is worth persevering with. Sometimes, there is a game within the game and although both these teams have an eye on the main prize, they will permit themselves to be distracted by one another here.

And the result could be wonderful or it could be volatile. It will probably be both. This is new ground for Cork, waltzing into the home of Kerry football as the men in possession of everything.

Since winning the All-Ireland football final last September in a show of second-half determination that was vividly illustrated by the body language of the normally low key Donncha O’Connor, Cork have had a heavyweight sense about them.

They seemed to glide through the league – as All-Ireland champions often do – but had to dig deep in the final. A rudimentary win over Clare leaves them back at the most relevant reference point for all Cork football teams: those pesky men in green and gold hoops.

Somewhere at the back of Cork minds may well lurk the aggravating fact that they did not actually beat Kerry last year.

They didn’t get a chance to: much to their surprise, their neighbours were not waiting for them in September, doing their respectful-talk, lip licking act. Does this Kerry team respect Cork? You can bet their respect is absolute and that it is limited: winning one All-Ireland is fine: when Cork have shown up for six in a row and claimed five in 10 years, then they will tip their caps with more enthusiasm.

Kerry are more concerned with reclaiming what they feel is rightly theirs: supremacy. Fitzgerald stadium is as good a place to start as any.

KERRY: B Kealy; S Enright, M Ó Sé, T O’Sullivan; A O’Mahony, E Brosnan, K Young; A Maher, B Sheehan; Darran O’Sullivan, Declan O’Sullivan, D Walsh; C Cooper (capt), K Donaghy, K O’Leary.

CORK: A Quirke; J O’Sullivan, G Canty (capt), M Shields; N O’Leary, J Miskella, P Kissane; A O’Connor, A Walsh; C Sheehan, P Kelly, P O’Neill; D Goulding, D O’Connor, P Kerrigan.

In the last episode: All has changed since the Munster semi-final replay in Párc Uí Chaoimh last year when Kerry won a thriller after extra-time. Cork took the hard road and were rewarded for it. Kerry duly won the provincial final against Limerick but once they went to Croke Park, the wheels came off.

On your marks:The scouting report on Cork is a well thumbed document by now. They are supremely athletic, they are big, they have stunning firepower and excellent free-takers and they have a humble, honest work ethic they acquired in more humbling years. And they have earned their accolade the hard way: 11 of the team that starts here played in the All-Ireland final defeat to Kerry in 2009. So they will be wary. Kerry have changed since then and the absence of Messrs Ó Sé and Galvin will not help their cause. There is a possibility that Cork will hoover up so much breaking ball that they Kerry defence will find itself swamped with red shirts rushing through. There is a possibility that the Kerry midfield will be obliterated. But there is also the possibility that Kerry will put on a show.

Gaining ground:Fitzgerald Stadium in July is about everything you could ask from a sports stadium.

You bet:Paddy Power quotes both teams at 11/10 with a draw at 13/2.

Just the ticket: Music to the ears of the Munster Council: the game is a sell out.

Crystal gazing:Cork will be heavily tipped to win this one and it truly is the flip of a coin but Kerry have been smarting since their narrow league defeat in Tralee last February and they are always dangerous in that mood. Expect sparks. Kerry to win, with something late and dramatic.