AFTER five years' absence, Cork footballers are on the way back to Division One of the National league. To that general relief they have added a good extra time win over Kerry in the quarter finals.

Such a relatively rare run through the spring has left manager Billy Morgan very satisfied, even ahead of Sunday's league semi final against Donegal.

The extra weeks in proper training gives Morgan vital quality time with his players at a stage when they would otherwise be training with clubs and going through the motions in challenge matches.

"We've got what we wanted," says Morgan. "Reaching this stage brings us right up to the championship. Win, lose or draw on Sunday, there's three weeks left before the championship.

Enhanced concentration has yielded dividends and the Division Two campaign was conducted in determined fashion. Morgan says, however, that there were other prompts that helped things along. "It's the first time in years that we've been getting near a full panel. I said at the start that anyone who opts out for the League runs the risk of not being asked back."

If Cork win on Sunday and reach next month's final they will be in action a week later against Limerick in the Munster championship. But Morgan doesn't foresee any difficulties "I'm not writing off Limerick but we won't mind playing them a week after."

Last year's championship demonstrated the need for Cork to develop some of the under age talent and renew the senior team. For the most part, the League has been a laboratory for isolating players who might make a championship breakthrough. In the nearest thing to a championship match to date, the win over Kerry, not all the newcomers did particularly well.

"I don't think you should judge on the quarter final. In the four pre-Christmas League games, we lost the first to Cavan but for the next three, played the same is in the same positions.

"Martin Cronin (wing forward) has been outstanding, very good for all the regular matches. Kerry was the first disappointing one. He's an under 21 and has a programme every night of the week and that takes its toll."

With the summer approaching Morgan is content with progress. "We are fairly close to a championship team we'd want to be. With exception of cornerback and the half forwards, everything's nearly in place."

Up front Morgan will hope for Cronin and Podsie O'Mahony to regain form and confidence. In defence, likely options start with Mark Farr at corner back. Although he has never commanded the undiluted admiration of the selectors, Farr has two ad vantages he reserves his better displays for big matches and no one has been good enough to dislodge him from the team.

Elsewhere, the perennial Larry Tompkins is rehabilitating. His influence within the panel remains strong. "He's just had an operation and will be back within five weeks. At the start he was going as, well as ever and we were going to play him against Clare in the McGrath Cup until the injury cropped up," says Morgan.

Other problems centre on the redeployment of established personnel. Veteran Niall Cahalane confounded a few jeremiahs last year when playing with equal facility on the wing and in the corner of the left defence. His reading of the game remains unimpaired.

"Niall is playing as well as ever but has lost pace," says Morgan. "He plays midfield with his club, and cleans up. Whether we use him in the open or at the back is the question and means some juggling around."

Currently injured, Steven, O'Brien contributed enormously to the attack for most of the regulation League matches. Injury problems in the defence, however, have returned him to his best known position at centre back. Morgan's previous insistence that this represented a temporary reversion is beginning to waver.

"At the start of last year we needed someone like him up front. Against Leitrim when Kevin Cowhie went off, we brought him (O'Brien) back. The next day in Armagh, we played him there from the start. I think with the whole pitch in front of him, he provides a better attacking option. Right now, I think centre half back is his best position."