Favourites Cork still have litany of questions to be answered

It’s a tribute to the enduring caste system in Munster that Cork, after that 10-point defeat, missing best defender Lorcán McLoughlin, and with question marks over the fitness of their best ball winning forward Séamus Harnedy, are still comfortable favourites to win this.

Of course the absence of Pauric Mahony contributes to this. Not alone will his precision-tooled free-taking be a major loss but his role as the orchestrator of Waterford’s counter-attacks will be impossible to understudy.  Everyone expects Cork will rebound after the effective humiliation of the league final but they haven’t looked in great shape in any of their recent matches. Whereas the immediate reaction to overhauling Dublin in the league semi-final was positive, investigations had shifted to Dublin’s role in their own downfall.

Jimmy Barry-Murphy has issues all around the field. Injuries have weakened his hand at the back to the extent that Brian Murphy has been brought out of a two-year retirement. A top-class defender during his career, Murphy has a major challenge walking straight back into senior championship from his club after so along away.   Stark commentary It’s obviously a matter of needsbut overall it’s a stark commentary on how poorly JBM rates his options.

Key element

Centrefield really needs Aidan Walsh to rediscover the form he showed in Munster last year because the energy and inspiration Waterford get from Jamie Barron and Kevin Moran is a key element of their game.  Up front Harnedy is vital and even if he plays but at reduced capacity, Cork will be affected.There is also the question of where to deploy Patrick Horgan whose run of meagre takings in the company of Noel Connors was extended in the league final.

Cork’s top scorer needs to get on more ball than he managed last month when held scoreless from play. These are a litany of questions for Cork.

There’s one for Waterford as well. It would appear that – after a visit to Thurles for a bit of practice –Maurice Shanahan will take frees in Mahony’s absence. Shanahan is technically a fine striker but more of a confidence player than the relentless Mahony. When you tally the questions though, Cork have a lot more answers to find.

Referee: Barry Kelly (Westmeath)
Last meeting: 2014 Munsterquarter-final replay, Semple Stadium, Cork 0-28,Waterford 0-14.
Odds: Cork 8/13, Waterford 13/8 and 9/1 the draw.
Injuries: Waterford are missing Pauric Mahony, out for the season after sustaining a broken shin in a club match last month. Cork's Lorcán McLaughlin also absent
Just the ticket: Covered/ uncovered stand, €30/€25, terrace €20 and under-16s €5 (stands and terrace). Verdict: Waterford
CORK: Anthony Nash; Shane O'Neill, Stephen McDonnell,  Brian Murphy; Damien Cahalane,  Mark Ellis, CormacMurphy;  Daniel Kearney, Aidan Walsh; Conor Lehane, Séamus Harnedy, Bill Cooper; Alan Cadogan,  Luke O'Farrell, Patrick Horgan.
WATERFORD: Stephen O'Keeffe; Shane Fives, Barry Coughlan, Noel Connors; Tadhg de Burca, Austin Gleeson, Philip Mahony; Jamie Barron, Maurice Shanahan; Kevin Moran, Stephen Barrett, Jake Dillon; Brian O'Halloran, Michael Walsh, Colin Dunford.