CORK v LOUTH, Portlaoise, 3.00
THESE teams have been in regular contact during recent NFL campaigns and each deprived the other of promotion in successive seasons in Division Two. This encounter will have the novelty of Louth's first quarter final since the re structuring of the NFL but probably not much more than that.
The best team in the second division, Louth have built on a sound defence, good centrefield and potentially productive attack in which Colin Kelly has attracted most of the plaudits but which is a little under strength tomorrow.
Uncertainty besets Cork most noticeably, in attack. Early in the season, Colin, Corkery looked in svelte shape for the League but evidently went off the boil and ended up being "rested".
Manager Larry Tompkins's theory about the inter changeability of half backs and half forwards has led to some intriguing mixing and matching. Ciaran O'Sullivan, after developing a prolific profile in attack, has returned to the position where he first made a considerable name for himself, right wing back.
Martin Cronin has played on the other wing for most of the campaign after starting his career in the forwards whereas Ollie O'Sullivan keeps going in the opposite direction and is selected at corner forward.
Most attention will be focused on the return of Steven O'Brien who has been made to work very hard to regain his place on the team since returning from injury. After last year's toing and froing and agonising as to whether he should play centre, back or centre forward, O'Brien leads the attack tomorrow and that may be where his future lies. Another voyager between the 40s, Brian Corcoran, moves out to the left wing. Hard to call but Cork get the nod.
