Cork v Clare

Clare are bidding for their first provincial senior football crown in 20 years on Sunday but they’ve a tough task against Conor Counihan’s Cork side.

Gaelic Grounds, Limerick, 2pm, Ref: Eddie Kinsella, Laois, (TV3)

Latest from the medics and the management…

CORK SF: Alan Quirke; Ray Carey, Michael Shields, Eoin Cadogan; Paudie Kissane, Graham Canty, Noel O’Leary; Alan O’Connor, Aidan Walsh; Ciaran Sheehan, Patrick Kelly, Paul Kerrigan; Colm O’Neill, Donncha O’Connor, Nicholas Murphy.

CLARE SF: Joe Hayes; Kevin Harnett, Barry Duggan, Laurence Healy; Enda Coughlan, Gordon Kelly, John Hayes; Gary Brennan, Ger Quinlan; Shane Brennan, Shane McGrath, Alan Clohessy (capt); Rory Donnelly, David Tubridy, Michael O’Shea.

Checking the odds…The bookmakers have made their mind up on this game already. Cork are favourites at a staggering 1/100 while Clare can be got at 22/1. It’s 28/1 the draw and the handicap has Cork (-12) at 10/11.

Clues from the form guide…When these sides met in the Munster championship last year Cork were comprehensive victors by a margin of 1-23 to 0-11 but since then Clare have shown clear signs of improvement. A positive league campaign when they ground out notable victories over Limerick and Carlow, only just failed to end on a successful note when they were pipped by Wicklow in the last round in April. And then there was their Munster semi-final success agianst over Limerick recently, a momentous win for a group of players who had been largely fed a diet of defeats over the past decade.

The thing is Cork’s performances have been of a high level as well since their last meeting 13 months ago. The concerns that were raised during their Munster final defeat to Kerry and their All-Ireland quarter-final loss to Mayo last summer appear to have been assuaged in 2012. To date this year they have demonstrated a renewed hunger to their game and that was typified by lifting the Division 1 league crown in April for the third season on the trot. Cork then endured a six-week hiatus from competitive action before facing Kerry in their opening championship bout yet did not display signs of rustiness from their lay-off. The manner in which Cork kicked for home to record a five-point victory was an impressive and necessary statement of intent for a side with All-Ireland ambitions.

The game breakers are…While they were ousted by 15 points last year, it’s important to note that there have been alterations made to the make-up of this Clare team with five newcomers who were not involved in that loss to Cork. Ger Quinlan has brought experience to the midfield sector, while new recruit and Dublin native Shane McGrath has brought a scoring touch to the attack and ensured David Tubridy can be pushed in closer to goal where he combines excellently with Rory Donnelly.

And Enda Coughlan, a tough and combative operator who has helped steer Kilmurry-Ibrickane to a plethora of club successes in recent years, provided a huge boost when returning to the squad after the league concluded. They may have been plying their trade in Division 4 of late but Clare have a couple of classy players. It’s worth nothing that during Munster’s inter-provincial campaign earlier this year, the Cork players involved were hugely impressed with the footballing abilities and leadership qualities of Gary Brennan at midfield and Tubridy in attack. Conor Counihan will have his homework done on stifling that duo.

Michael Shields will be a key member of the Cork defence next Sunday. Pic: INPHO/James Crombie

And his opposite number Micheal McDermott will have plenty to consider in finding a way past Cork. A defence with quality man-markers like Michael Shields and Eoin Cadogan that are perfectly capable of quietening Donnelly and Tubridy. A level of physique around the middle that has worn down more established teams like Cork. And an attack where Counihan is spoiled for choice with Sheehan, Kerrigan, Kelly, O’Neill, O’Connor, Goold, Goulding and Murphy names that blend together to carry a consistent threat over seventy minutes.

Gazing into the crystal ball…Clare’s qualification for this game has generated a feverish level of excitement amongst their supporters and a Munster final appearance holds a deep meaning for their players. But this tale of charm and romance is unlikely to have a happy ending. Sport was never renowned for its sentimentality and stripping the judgement of this game down to a purely football level, it is impossible to forecast anything other than a Cork win.

Three years ago Cork nearly slipped up when entering a Munster final as overwhelming favourites, surviving by a point against Limerick on a day when they were grateful to the clinical finishing of Daniel Goulding and the failure of award Limerick a blatant first-half penalty for a foul on John Galvin. Now they are a more seasoned bunch. Have the correct application and attitude here, and they could win with something to spare.

Verdict: Cork