Kerry's balance is just right

WHENEVER Cork and Kerry come face to face in the championship there is only one thing for sure - some hearts will be broken. Nothing will be different tomorrow although predicting whose dreams are to be shattered has rarely been more difficult in the recent history of this wonderful rivalry.

Not that the closeness between these two teams is attributable in any way to their great form so far in the championship. In fact, both sides have been playing well below the standard of previous Cork and Kerry teams.

Cork, however, were fortunate to have had two finely competitive games against Clare which will have helped them to get themselves ready for this weekend's test, while Kerry were stretched somewhat against Tipperary but controlled the Waterford game too easily for it to have been of any great value.

In terms of selection, there are many Kerry supporters who would prefer to see Sean Burke in at full back where he starred in last season's Munster final, but Paidi O Se has run with the idea that Mike Hassett has marked Colin Corkery very well in the past - and he has opted to match the pair up again tomorrow.

It has been suggested that if you mark Corkery well that most of Cork's attacking - options dry up and that was shown to be true against Clare when Frankie Griffin totally outplayed him in both encounters. Corkery, though, should be fitter this time out and he will be looking to give the Kerry defence the same sort of stern examination to which he usually subjects them.

In the Cork side, the half forward line have been the weakest link over the last two years. Steven O'Brien's experiment on the 40 in the league has been discontinued and the present combination of John Buckley, Joe Kavanagh and Don Davis has been arrived at after a great deal of chopping and changing during the Clare games.

The most disappointing feature of the Cork forward line in general has been the distinct lack of fitness or appetite on the part of Joe Kavanagh. He undoubtedly possesses great talent but his contribution over 70 minutes must disappoint his teammates and his lack of fitness may be further highlighted when he has to track Sean Burke's forward runs from centre back.

In last year's Munster final Kerry were decisively beaten in midfield. Throughout the league Kerry consistently played Darn O Se and Seamus Moynihan, and when matched against Danny Culloty and Liam Honohan in the league quarter final they acquitted themselves well. The Kerry pair are more mobile than their Cork counterparts but could have problems in the air as they contest the kick outs, and the amount of ball won in this area will have a major influence on the outcome of this game.

Overall, Cork do seem to have a physically stronger team than Kerry with players like Mark O'Connor, Brian Corcoran, O'Brien, Honohan and Corkery all looking to be powerful assets. But strength alone is not sufficient for success. You need pace and skill also and while Kerry may not be able to match these sort of players pound for pound, if they do combine their obvious pace with quick movement of the ball, then Dara O Cinneide and Gene Farrell will prosper. The usual tendency towards solo runs by Maurice Fitzgerald and Bingo O'Driscoll will have to be limited, however, as these would only slow down the game and play into the hands of a strong Cork defence.

A key battle within the game will be Steven O'Brien's attempt to limit Fitzgerald's impact on the match. For some inexplicable reason Fitzgerald hasn't come close to fulfilling his potential in recent years but his form in the build up to this game has been extremely promising, at both club and county level.

O'Brien, on the other hand, injured a hamstring in the league quarter final and strained very little before the Clare games. His fitness may still be in question and for this reason Fitzgerald should prove conclusively tomorrow what a fine player he really is.

Generally, Cork do not appear to be as good a side as they were 12 months ago. They seem to be lacking in leadership around the midfield area, where Larry Tompkins and Shea Fahy used to have a huge influence. They rely too much on Colin Corkery and, to a lesser extent, on Mark O'Sullivan, who hasn't been playing well.

In fairness, though, the Cork defence stood up well against Clare, with Ciaran O'Sullivan mainly responsible for Clare's defeat in the replay. His attacking runs from the half back line should cause havoc for the Kerry defence again tomorrow and Billy O'Shea could find himself drawn into a more defensive role from his starting point at wing forward.

With Paidi O Se's motivational influence there will be a huge effort made by everyone wearing a Kerry jersey to win this Munster title. The pressure will be on because every Kerry supporter feels that it is time to deliver, but there are finally young players coming into this Kerry team that have experienced winning All Ireland titles at minor and under 21 level, and knowing what it takes to win is a help on the big occasions.

The side lacks a backbone through the centre from full back right up to full forward but they compensate for that shortcoming with, a lot of balance through the various positions, while the fact that Niall Cahalane is likely to start the day on the bench, denies a Cork team that lacks fitness of one of its great motivators.

My gut feeling is that an improving Kerry team will show the sort of spirit that brought the Wexford team through last Sunday and that they will finally win what has become an elusive Munster title.

(In an interview with Emmet Malone)