It was ironic at the start of this summer that just when debate on the relevance of the provincial championships in the qualifier era seemed to get even hotter, circumstances threw up a year when winning a provincial title meant something to everybody.
No team in Leinster — even Dublin — were blasé about winning it. With an All-Ireland out of their reach, a Connacht title is the only viable source of success for any team there. In Ulster, only Tyrone could start out the season with mixed feelings about the value of winning the title. The assumed logic insists that anything Cork do against Kerry in Munster means nothing in Croke Park but finally to beat Kerry there, they must first win in Killarney. That turns today into something special.
Winning could break so many assumptions — about Cork’s ability to match Kerry in a hostile environment; about sustaining a performance; about their capacity to learn from their mistakes and whether they have finally coated a talented panel with the mental steel to make them winners.
Kerry have regularly faced the same doubts over their form and ability to raise themselves for another summer. They mightn’t produce the landmark display to settle them all, but matching and beating Cork will be enough for now.
They know they’re not far away from them either. If Dublin had taken even a few of the chances they squandered in the league final, Cork would have endured another inquest on their ability to deliver 70 consistent minutes. It’s been their downfall in Killarney many times before.
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Leaving those doubts behind starts here. Conor Counihan wondered mischievously last week whether Cork could find the same edge that drove them to an All-Ireland title again this year. Nobody knows for sure, but having Kerry there to beat will help them.
Cork have edged ahead in terms of personnel. Ciaran Sheehan, inset, has emerged as a serious player. Donncha O’Connor and Daniel Goulding are flying. Aidan Walsh and Alan O’Connor bundled Seamus Scanlon and Micheál Quirke out of last year’s game in Killarney. Both of them have looked better again this season.
That severe lack of conviction around centrefield is a problem. Kerry tried a few short kick-outs against Tipperary with mixed results, but they’re not set up to contest with the small garrison of men mountains Cork can send into battle. They’ll try Anthony Maher and Bryan Sheehan to start, but neither have looked convincing at centrefield.
Kerry’s biggest test for Cork is still their attack. While Kieran Donaghy has looked good in spots at full-forward and will roam, Declan O’Sullivan is in good nick, and Donncha Walsh and Darran O’Sullivan now look like players ready to shoulder much heavier loads.
Meanwhile, Colm Cooper continues to hover at his peak, now aided by Kieran O’Leary — his Sancho Panza at Dr Crokes. A video popped up on YouTube of Cooper scoring a beautiful goal for Crokes against Gneeveguila in the local championship. It captured a great artist in repose, casually crafting something marvellous from nothing. That is Kerry’s greatest strength, too. Challenge that, and Cork will take away more than a Munster title. Cork to win.