The 16th Man

Dublin’s inherent implosion to a ‘non-Leinster’ team has yet to arrive in this year’s championship and although the scalp of Tyrone is a huge forward step, it would be a fallacy to believe that 2010 is the year which will breathe oxygen back into the spirit of ‘95. Tyrone, after all fired an incredible seventeen wide’s as they were capitulated from the championship. Indeed, there have been plenty of other reasons to doubt the potential of this Dublin side as All-Ireland champion contenders. Wexford should have beaten them and Meath did annihilate them with goal bursts. The Qualifiers may have allowed Dublin to redress the war wounds but one fear’s that this side has a virus which no antibiotics can cure. Gilroy has changed their style, from a flair side to a physically imposing work horse, which as killed the imagination of the annual great pretenders.

The exceptional Bernard Brogan aside, this Dublin outfit lack guile. Eoghan O’Gara has provided lifeline goals, but it is his inability to look natural on the ball that fails to impress. In reality he offers nothing more than sheer strength, a trait which can easily be nullified by the Cork defence. Whereas Cork are due a big performance, Brogan is due the opposite. Although he has brought his team to the cusp of the Promised Land , his fluent feet have been muted before and if this happens Sunday, then Dublin can expect a grim fate. Although Gilroy has labelled the semi-finals as ‘bonus territory’, the expectation of victory from Dublin’s mass supporters in affect leaves them hunted by failure which could snare them this weekend. They are unable to cast off the shackles of their own real arrogance which is imbedded in the culture of Hill 16.

Corks performances have been a rising wind which one expects could turn into a destructive hurricane this weekend as the scent of Sam lingers ever closer. Opportunity has seldom knocked louder for Cork to conquer Sam, especially given their great tormentors Kerry have fallen on the short sword of Down. Since 2005 they have been knocked out of the championship every year by the Green and Gold. There was talk of psychological effects but their defeat against Kerry in this year’s Munster championship was irrelevant such was the manner, margin and time. Now that the stigma of the Kingdom lays lifeless it is Cork’s All-Ireland to lose. Having coasted through the back door on the waves of mediocrity they are expected to have plenty of dry powder left to fire off explosive performances.

Corks array of talent has been blamed for hindering their championship displays. Alas, perfection for Cork has been painful as Conor Counhian has struggled to ignite the most efficient formula for ultimate success. However the talent is obvious and has shined in patches. While Goulding (1-30) is Corks scorer in chief, the Rebels are not dependant on him as a constant source of ‘milk and hanna’. A total of seventeen players have kicked scores for Cork this season, an impressive show of depth. They have so far failed to click as a flowing unit but expect this Dublin game to be the one where the gel thickens.

Although Graham Canty has been named to start, rumours persist whether that will be not the case. Although the man plays with such raw grit and bushido Cork can overcome this Dublin side without him. Corks half back line are like a biblical plague of locusts. In the final quarter of the game against Roscommon, they simply swarmed the Roscommon defence with powerful unstoppable surges that helped put the result beyond doubt. Although Cork have their problems, Dublins are incurable. Cork have only beaten Dublin once in thirteen times of asking but history will not defy them of fate in 2010. I expect them to give a landmark performance this Sunday and finally set out their stall as worthy All-Ireland champions of 2010.

Punt of the Day: D. O’Connor to finish top scorer = 5/1 (Paddy Power)

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