Cork tight enough to bottle up lively Wexford

Cork v Wexford: The twin starting points for tomorrow's Guinness All-Ireland hurling semi-final are that Wexford look significantly improved on last year's meeting between the counties, whereas Cork have regressed. Whether that leads to a crossing of the teams' graphs remains, however, open to question.

There is one material deviation from the semi-final of 12 months ago. Wexford are now the provincial champions with the long spell in dry dock whereas Cork have been out and about progressing through the qualifiers. The levelling of fortunes has set up an intriguing match, with tickets selling out every time a new batch of returns is put on sale in Croke Park.

Waterford's experiences last week backed up the theory that the enforced period of idleness is a drawback for the Munster and Leinster champions. But this is different. Whereas Kilkenny had four outings, including three against top opposition and a hard-hitting pair of matches against Clare, Cork have had only one decent match - or half-match - and that five weeks ago against Tipperary. In the meantime, they had a trouble-free afternoon in the quarter-finals.

Whereas Waterford were missing an important player, this weekend it is Cork who have had to replace John Gardiner. Then there is momentum. Wexford have it after a first provincial win in seven years; Cork are still trying to rehabilitate after the unhappy Munster final.

Yet, Cork are still the favourites.

This is based on their second half against Tipperary and first half against Waterford. In the latter match the forwards took some excellent scores and displayed nerveless accuracy and then last month remedied the most serious failing of the Waterford match - the disappearance of the half forwards.

The two McCarthys - Niall in particular - raised the game and Tipp were unable to cope. Niall McCarthy's display at centre forward was better than anything he staged last year during a promising season.

But amidst the general meaninglessness of the Antrim match there was still the nagging suspicion that Cork's forwards don't win as much as they should in the air. By way of reassurance Brian Corcoran scored two goals, which was taken as further evidence of his gradual return to form.

Furthermore, Cork are deadly from placed balls and Wexford will struggle not to provide their opponents with some such opportunities.

Then again, Darragh Ryan and Declan Ruth are as good a defensive spine as there is, so these improvements down the middle of Cork's attack will be put to the test.

Gardiner's loss removes the useful platform his striking provides and in the qualifier against Tipperary he played a fair amount of ball. Cian O'Connor will mark Paul Codd enthusiastically, but will hardly extract the same price should the returned Rathnure man fade out at any stage.

There was surprise in some quarters in Cork that Pat Mulcahy, who after his comeback from injury hurled really well for Newtownshandrum in the county championship, wasn't brought back into consideration given his experience and Gardiner's injury.

Still, Cork's defence is strong. Although Diarmuid O'Sullivan was central to an odd deployment of the spare man in the Munster final, his overall game is tighter, even if he has been found wanting under high balls.

That, however, will hardly be Wexford's game. Their success in bamboozling Kilkenny's half backs is a template for approaching Cork and there will be plenty of movement in the area to try and free up the same sort of opportunities they took so well in the Leinster semi-final.

The fact Wexford have had only two matches means most observers are unsure whether the team that beat Kilkenny or the less impressive unit that made hard work of Offaly represents the truer form.

Centrefield will be more important than usual because whoever gets on top will dictate the terms of the game as well as the flow of possession. Cork have used the area to establish a beachhead for running at opponents whereas Wexford will want quick ball delivered into the forwards.

Adrian Fenlon's form is much better than it was a year ago and Wexford will be hoping for him to take a grip on the match.

It's a shock to realise that Wexford haven't beaten Cork in the championship for nearly 50 years - even allowing for the fact that they have played only a handful of matches since 1956.

Ultimately, tomorrow should be part of the same trend. Cork's defence is still strong enough to inhibit Wexford's pace and invention. That will be enough.