It has been to the benefit of the beleaguered status of the National Leagues that three of its football semi-finalists from last spring have won their provincial championships. Further validation has come in the sky-rocketing reputation of the Cork defence.
The unit was put together in the League with a combination of experienced players like Ciaran O'Sullivan, the only back to have played in the 1993 All-Ireland final, newcomers like Anthony Lynch, and relative newcomers deployed in central positions, dual player Sean O hAilpin and Owen Sexton.
They have fused together so effectively that they played a big part in adding the Munster title to the League title and are now freely described as the best defence in the country.
Paddy Sheahan is the assistant coach of the team and recalls the genesis of this formidable unit.
"Around Christmas we put in fellas who can play football and are very quick. We wanted to cut out fouling and they can do that because they can get closer, faster. We also practised the block-down in training.
"It's a great skill but you can only do it when you're close to your man. They didn't have to be big. Mick O'Donovan (the corner back who lost his place to injury and Ronan McCarthy's exceptional Munster final display) is small but he's very, very quick.
"They're the same fellas who played in a number of League games without being changed. `You have the position,' they were told, `and the longer you play well the longer you'll stay there."
This was surprising for two reasons: good form in February and March is hardly worth noticing and there were a number of experienced defenders recovering from injury whose return was taken to be a matter of course. In the end neither Steven O'Brien nor Mark O'Connor recovered their places.
As the team marched through the League, the defence attracted more and more plaudits. In April they restricted Meath - with an admittedly under-strength attack - to three points on a miserable, wet afternoon at Croke Park.
"Yeah, they were impressive that day," says Meath selector Frank Foley. "Our forwards had been doing very well up to then and scored 13 or 14 points against Kerry on a much wetter day. Their corner backs were very good and tight-marking and my main memory of that day was that we only scored three points."
Foley also notes the influence of one Cork selector, All-Ireland winner and former All Star centre back Conor Counihan, who has worked with the backs.
"Owen Sexton reminds me of Conor Counihan at centre back - he's wiry and committed - and the defence as a whole reflects his (Counihan's) influence. I remember from my playing days how important he was in the Cork defence in the late '80s.
"The prediction was when the new rules came in that they would result in a big clampdown on defenders and yet it hasn't happened. You've got this Cork team which gives away very few frees. They're quick and strong and get to the ball first so that fouling doesn't arise. Their midfield cover back well and they're a very effective unit."
Dublin encountered Cork twice in the League, including the final, and selector Dom Twomey is in no doubt about the status of the Munster champions' defence.
"It's the best in the country, better even than Meath's. They have great pace and are very good man-markers and collectively a good unit. What Cork do best is working back and breaking with ferocious pace.
"And that goes for the rest of the team. I remember one ball Dessie Farrell got in the League final in an advanced position and he looks around and their two wing forwards were right back there, took the ball off him and broke back up the field.
"The defence are man-markers, classy and athletic. For a long time, I've fancied Cork to win the All-Ireland and I haven't changed my mind."
There have been some reservations about the spine of the defence. Owen Sexton is aggressive and committed at centre back and is a perceptive distributor of the ball. He attracted early criticism, according to Sheahan.
"There were questions about Owen, but he has tremendous commitment and we've worked on his tendency to foul. I'd be effed out of it at training because I'm doubly severe refereeing the practice games. But if they get away with anything in training, they'll try and get away with it in match situations."
Behind Sexton, O hAilpin had the frustrating experience of seeing his man Aodan MacGearailt score two goals in the Munster final. Again, Sheahan is quick to stand up for his player.
"Sean Og got some bad publicity after the Munster final but one of the two goals wasn't his fault and he went on to have a tremendous second half. People say what about Dessie Farrell in the League final - but what did he score? And he never once fouled him."
The tributes are impressive but the statistics even more so. The average championship concession is less than eight points and if that figure is distorted by the less-than-potent attacks of Waterford (0-4) and Limerick (1-9), it's worth highlighting that Kerry scored only two goals and four points.
And if the average is extended back to the resumption of the season in February, the figure rises only slightly to eight and a half. If they maintain that, the All-Ireland double will be down to the hurlers.
