By James McMahon
Cork head to the Gaelic Grounds with the billing of warm favourites as they bid to win a 37th Munster Senior Football Championship title.
Their opponents Clare, back in a provincial decider for the first time since 2000, will no doubt be determined to make a game of it.
Recent reports that the Munster Council are considering a return to seeded system in the football championship has been met with resistance by the so-called “weaker counties”.
While Limerick have been competitive for well over a decade, the work in Tipperary at under-age level and Clare’s improvement in the last year should surely call for a re-think on such a move.
Indeed, if the Banner acquit themselves well today, the chorus of disapproval against such a tiered structure will only grow louder.
This time last year, Clare narrowly lost to Down in an All-Ireland qualifier.
It was a match they could have won against the All-Ireland finalists of 2010.
The subsequent league campaign saw them narrowly miss out on promotion from Division 4, but the view coming from the Banner was that progress was being made under Michael McDermott.
In the Munster semi-final against Limerick, they played superbly in the opening half to build up a nine-point lead.
They eventually saw that advantage whittled away, but two late points from David Tubridy gave them a famous win and underlined their character in what was a tense, frenetic finish.
Cork will represent an entirely different challenge, but being involved is surely what matters as Clare aim to become a competitive force in football again.
It is exactly 20 years since they won that famous Munster final against Kerry, and 1997 saw them famously defeat the Rebels in a Munster semi-final.
On the basis of Dublin’s narrow win over Wexford last weekend, Cork now find themselves heading the bookies’ market for the All-Ireland title.
While they may not shorten further with a dismantling of Clare, most eyes will be on the performance.
Against Kerry on 10 June, their five-point win was well merited.
And yet indecision by the Kingdom in front of goal could have led to a different outcome; a conclusion, that on the balance of play, would not have been deserved.
Injuries wrecked Cork’s chances of an All-Ireland follow-up last year. However, with a full compliment now restored, they look now well-placed to make amends.
Colm O’Neill and Donncha O’Connor are again expected to lead the way on the scoring front against the Banner, with manager Conor Counihan no doubt trying out new formations which may well be used for the challenges that lie ahead in August.
Verdict: Cork
