Chance to vindicate serious approach to the league

In a way, there is a sense of justice about the two teams who have advanced to contest tomorrow's National Football League final.

No other teams worked as hard or treated the league campaign with as much respect as either Cork or Dublin and, from a long way back, the respective managers, Larry Tompkins and Tommy Carr, made no bones about their desire to reach the decider and give themselves the opportunity to win a national title.

Now, they have the chance. And, if ever a league match looked likely to reach a championship tempo, this is it. A win would vindicate all the work put in over the winter months.

I know that Dublin started their preparations a long time before that (indeed, I remember that they played a challenge match against Derry on the day that we met Roscommon in the replay of the Connacht final last year so their meticulous programme stretches back that far) and a measure of their commitment to the league is that they became probably the first inter-county team to conduct championship-like training right through the winter.

Cork also put in a fairly big effort - and, from a Galway perspective, it is encouraging that the two finalists emerged from our division in the league and, certainly, it is interesting to see how settled the Cork team in particular seems to be. In fact, 13 of the players who faced Galway in the first league match after the winter break are playing tomorrow and it is quite unlike Cork teams down the years to have that sort of consistency. That bodes well for them.

A number of players have come through to the Cork team in the league while others who have been around for a while (Mark O'Sullivan, Aidan Dorgan, Joe Kavanagh) have shown a return to form. Tomorrow's final, however, will be a big test - indeed, the same applies to the Dublin players who have forced their way onto the team - as it will be as close to championship conditions, with the winner taking everything, as you can get. Of course, both teams will have an eye to the championship, but I don't imagine anyone holding back tomorrow.

Cork had a slight tendency to blow hot and cold in some of their league matches but have been faultless in the knockout phase of the competition. They also did what they had to do - win - in their last match of the qualifying stages. That match happened to be against Dublin and the revenge element might give Dublin an extra spur this time, as will the fact that they have to travel down to Cork again.

Overall, though, I don't believe the last league encounter will have too much bearing on what happens tomorrow. Cork had to win that day whereas Dublin had a bit of a safety net and, undoubtedly, the must-win position is always the better one to be in from a psychological point of view. Cork won, Dublin lost, and both have still made it through to the final.

As I've noted, Cork have 13 of the side that played Galway back in February scheduled for action tomorrow. For a county not noted for having such a settled team, that's a good sign and it is an indication of the focus that Tompkins has drilled into the team. And, given that they are on championship duty against Waterford on May 23rd, this match will provide more than a hint about how some of the newcomers can expect to do in that upcoming provincial campaign.

There are quite a number of similarities between Dublin and Cork. Dublin also have a number of players who have come back to form in a back way this year - Dessie Farrell and Brian Stynes have been superb all along, and Declan Darcy put in some very impressive performances. Personally, I'm delighted for Declan, who I know quite well, that he finally has the stage of a national final to demonstrate his talents.

Dublin are a very different team to the one that played Kildare in the Leinster championship last year. Those days they didn't seem to have a game plan, but now they know what they are about and have shown some fine teamwork. The perception among some people is that the full back line is a weak link but I didn't feel that when we played against them and the fact that this is their third game in three weeks should be a big help to that particular line.

There are a number of factors which could determine tomorrow's outcome, but I still think it is a very difficult game to call. Will the extra game (the semi-final replay win over Armagh) benefit Dublin? How will home advantage work for Cork? Will the loss of Paul Croft (a very good footballer) and Ian Robertson hinder Dublin? I think it will be close and well-contested, but I believe Cork may just have the edge to get home.

(In an interview with Philip Reid)