Kilkenny pack looks to have more aces

GAA: The light of other days falls on tomorrow's Guinness All-Ireland hurling final. No pairing has occurred more often throughout the history of the game nor left such a rich and eventful legacy.

History itself is in the balance, with the prospect of Kilkenny joining Cork at the top of the Liam McCarthy Cup's roll of honour for the first time since 1941.

Yet, like any of the previous 19 finals between the counties, this weekend's game is shaped by its own microcosmic agenda and circumstance.

Accordingly, the immediate focus has been on the fitness of Kilkenny's Tommy Walsh. Last night's announcement that the talented youngster would start was a bit of a surprise given that manager Brian Cody had earlier indicated that he would give the player until match day before making a decision. Word in the county had been that the injury was more than niggling.

It's good news for the player, who, apart from the semi-final, has adapted well to an unfamiliar position.

Kilkenny are, of course, the warmest of favourites - more so than four years ago, when even if there was consensus that the Leinster team would win, the match was regarded as fairly evenly balanced on the field.

This time around it's harder to put up as good an argument for Cork. Like in 1999, the Munster champions have gone through the season unchanged, but there has to be a suspicion that this is as much a reflection of Donal O'Grady's lack of options as positive affirmation of the starting 15.

Compare that to Kilkenny, who - having already shed Charlie Carter and Brian McEvoy - have on the bench their best player in the league, Richie Mullally, and such driven figures as last year's All-Ireland captain, Andy Comerford, and Philip Larkin.

Cork have marked their matches so far with devastating intervals of play, early against Clare and later against Waterford and Wexford. Maybe, goes one argument, if Cork's purple passage could coincide with the sort of flat first-half performances Kilkenny put in against Wexford and Tipp, the Munster champions could rack up a big-enough lead to put on real pressure.

But how would that happen and how would Cork face up to the whirlwind that has followed in the second half?

There is parity between the teams' cutting edges in the full-forward lines. If anything, Cork's poses more of a goal threat, but that ignores the vulnerability of their full-back line and assumes DJ Carey's form won't pick up.

But the match will be decided in the half lines. Both sides have relied on their half-back lines for a platform and whoever wins these battles will win the war.

More specifically, the fate of Cork's half backs will be crucial. In their first year, Ronan Curran and Tom Kenny have been immense and Seán Óg Ó hAilpín has been in his best form since recovering from the car accident of three years ago.

But tomorrow they face the most imposing challenge of the year. Walsh's go-ahead means that the half forwards won't be as physically imposing, but Cody isn't short of options.

It's hard to see the Cork line winning aerial ball in sufficient quantity against Henry Shefflin and John Hoyne to establish the sort of platform on which winning totals have been built so far.

Furthermore, Kilkenny's attack is almost completely interchangeable; only Eddie Brennan won't switch lines. Martin Comerford can come out to the wing if an even taller presence is required.

In the circumstances Cork's forwards can't rely on any phase of the match providing abundant possession.

Kilkenny's half backs on the other hand don't look likely to suffer the same inhibitions. Ben O'Connor and Timmy McCarthy, in particular, need broken play and a bit of space to thrive and that's likely to be at a premium.

Niall McCarthy might put it up to Peter Barry, but that will hardly constitute a bridgehead.

History's legacy hangs over the match in one respect.

Favourites have a bad record in All-Irelands between the counties. But, even here, Kilkenny have the answer.

It's only four years since Cork pulled off this most traditional of coups - and it must still haunt Brian Cody.

Just as he learned and applied the lessons of defeat in the 2001 semi-final, it's not outlandish to imagine that the even harder experience of 1999 has been turned to good account. A lot hangs on this for the Kilkenny manager. His instinct has been so far proved right in relation to letting Carter and McEvoy go.

As widely forecast, the contretemps of early summer will be forgotten if the Liam McCarthy stays in Kilkenny. It will be the first back-to-back All-Irelands since the county last managed the feat 10 years ago and it will give Cody three titles in five years, a respectable haul by any standards.

With his relentless pursuit of the best and an outstanding panel of players at his disposal, it's as close to impossible as sport allows to see Cody being disappointed tomorrow evening.