Amy O'Connor may be Cork's headline act but their bid for two in a row is underpinned by the midfield partnership of Ashling Thompson and Aoife Healy. While O'Connor alone has accounted for a quarter of Cork's scoring total, the team's engine room has provided the platform as they've cruised into this afternoon's All-Ireland senior camogie final against Galway.
Cork's 12-point group stage win over Galway put them straight into the All-Ireland semi-finals ahead of the Tribe County, where next up they were 20-point winners over Dublin.
Between those two crucial wins, Thompson and Healy made four blocks and a remarkable 20 interceptions or turnovers. It created a rebound effect in front of their half-back line, allowing the reigning champions to absolutely suffocate and dominate each team they have faced thus far.
They also shot a combined six times for 0-03, as well as providing 1-06 in assists, Healy caught two puckouts, and the pair had 46 and 30 possessions respectively over the two games that put them into the final.
Of those assists, 1-05 of them were made by Healy whose role is more box to box providing impacts between both Ds, whereas Thompson is more heavily involved in the link-up play. Almost as an orchestrator at times, 30% of her possessions have been in the central pocket between halfway and her own 65.
Half of Healy's possessions were short passes, flicks or handpasses, as she carries at pace to draw in an opponent before freeing up a team mate nearby. Thompson also played shorter passes for just over 75% of her possessions, but mixed it up with longer or mid-range passes almost a quarter of the time - aiming for the corners or the pockets between the opposition 45 and 65.
Aoife Healy has been starring in a box-to-box role for the Rebels
Defensively, however, is where the duo do their most important work with two blocks apiece, while Healy has made 13 turnovers or interceptions in her last two matches along with her ability to win breaks and contests either high or low.
Thompson, in those games, has made seven interceptions or turnovers and has on eight occasions been first to hoover up contestable breaking ball for her team.
This defensive effort and economical link play allows Cork's half-backs the freedom to attack and none more so than vice-captain Laura Hayes. While Thompson and Healy have two points apiece so far in the 2024 championship, Hayes has 0-05 and on the other wing Hannah Looney has 0-04.
In Cork's last two matches, Hayes has been in particularly inspired form, scoring 0-04 and assisting 0-05, with the defender having 38 possessions but just one interception and two blocks. Her midfield generals allow her the freedom to focus her energy on driving forward where she is most effective.
But the biggest scoring threat on the Cork side without doubt is O'Connor. She has slotted 4-28 of Cork's total of 17-110 in six matches.
O'Connor only played in five of those, coming off for most of the final quarter of the semi-final too with the game won. Still, she scored 0-07 against Wexford, 1-05 against Clare, 2-07 in the group stage clash with Dublin, 1-05 in the win over Galway and then 0-04 in the semi-final. The hat-trick hero in last year's decider has scored 4-08 from play, with the rest from dead balls.
In Cork's two most recent wins over Galway and Dublin, they converted 0-09 (0-07 from O'Connor) from 11 frees, while their opposition scored 0-07 but left 1-07 behind highlighting O'Connor's importance from frees as well as play.
From general play then she had 23 possessions and shot 65% of the time in those contests. Her instinct is to turn her marker, get into space and score with every involvement and Galway will need to do a much tighter job of containing her than in their previous meeting.
Sorcha McCartan (L) could come up against former Down teammate Niamh Mallon, who is now with Galway
Another major scoring threat for Cork will likely transpire later in the match with Sorcha McCartan part of a bench that has scored 4-09 in reaching this afternoon's decider, whereas Galway's has managed 1-08.
McCartan came on in the semi-final and the former Down player scored a goal and was fouled for or assisted 1-03.
An interesting talking point in this final will be the daughter of 1994 All-Ireland football winner Greg McCartan coming up against her former Down teammate in now Galway forward Niamh Mallon. Both players could play a key role if this goes to the wire.
Nevertheless, Cork come into this final as raging-hot favourites, winning six from six and by an average margin of 19 points, the closest any team has come to them was Wexford losing by nine.
To avoid a third successive All-Ireland final defeat for the county in as many weeks, Galway will have fires to put out all over the field, but stopping Cork's midfield stranglehold must be the starting point.
