Cork at full strength for Kerry clash

CORK ARE in the unusual position of having a full pick for Sunday’s Munster football semi-final against Kerry, the biggest match of the season to date. Injuries played a significant role in derailing last year’s bid to retain the All-Ireland but this week it’s all systems go.

Key forwards Ciarán Sheehan and Daniel Goulding will be available for selection alongside Colm O’Neill who returned during the spring and won the Opel players award for the football league.

“We’re looking okay,” says manager Conor Counihan. “Everyone is injury free and there’ll be some tough decisions to be made.”

Despite not being at full strength for the whole league, Counihan recorded his fourth successive title (three Division One and in 2009, Division Two), virtually a 100 per cent record given that he didn’t take charge in 2008 until the county had been forced to forfeit matches during the players’ strike of that year.

“I think the league blew the cobwebs away,” he says, “but there’s nothing like championship to concentrate the minds. It’s what the whole season is judged on.”

Sunday is a familiar task. In four championships Counihan has sent Cork out on nine occasions against Kerry but only won on two occasions, drawing three and losing four. Two years ago, they lost a replay to Kerry but won the All-Ireland. On the two occasions they’ve defeated Kerry in Munster, their eternal rivals have gone on to beat them in Croke Park.

Counihan says there is a clear incentive to defeat Kerry and relieve them of the Munster championship.

“You wonder sometimes is it a matter of ticking a number of boxes each year or doing something different because you have to take every game on its own merits. But I’m looking forward to it. Cork and Kerry have their own rivalry and everyone loves bragging rights.

“There’s also more certainty in going through the front door – and less games. We’ll have players involved with their clubs and club championships and that always carries the risk of injuries so you’d be anxious not to play any more matches than you have to.”

Cork name their team on Thursday night whereas Kerry manager Jack O’Connor is set to give All Star centrefielder Bryan Sheehan as much time as he can to recover from a knee injury sustained against Tipperary.

Saturday

Connacht SFC Semi-final – Galway v Sligo, Pearse Stadium, 6pm, M Deegan (Laois).

Munster SFC Semi-final – Limerick v Clare, Gaelic Grounds, 7.30pm, D Fahy (Longford).

Lory Meagher Cup Final – Fermanagh v Tyrone, Croke Park, noon.

Nicky Rackard Cup Final – Armagh v Louth, Croke Park, 2pm.

Christy Ring Cup Final – Wicklow v London, Croke Park, 4pm.

Sunday

Leinster SFC Quarter-finals – Meath v Carlow, Tullamore, 2pm; Wexford v Longford, Tullamore, 4pm.

Munster SFC Semi-final – Cork v Kerry, Páirc Uí Chaoimh, 2pm, D Coldrick (Meath).

Ulster SFC Quarter-final – Armagh v Tyrone, Morgan Athletic Grounds, 4pm.