By Rory Houston
This year’s All-Ireland quarter-finals treated us to some performances befitting of champions, and left a last-four line-up to savour, starting with the meeting of Donegal and Cork on Sunday in Croke Park (3.30pm).
Each semi-finalist has their own story to tell of what a final would mean to them and it makes many neutrals rub their hands in anticipation of what is to come given the geographical spread and contrast in footballing ideals.
Donegal stand tallest in the entertainment factor, purely because they have actually played into that category this year after trudging to this stage in 2011.
It is still a defensive game deployed by the Ulster champions but it has more of an attacking emphasis compared to last season and, in truth, it makes fascinating viewing as it evolves.
Jim McGuinness has proven so many doubters wrong this year, and not just in terms of an average criticism that can be quashed with a win or two, but by showing the class and guile to change a style with seemingly ease and even some swagger while rubbing it in the faces of those who said they were a one trick pony.
Overcoming Kerry was a huge psychological plus. They held off the inevitable fight back and beat a team that McGuinness had convinced his players were there to be toppled.
It wasn’t a complete performance and perhaps they were hanging on in the end, but the manner in which the likes of Colm McFadden took his scores was befitting of the occasion and showed they are ready for the next stage.
Winning the Ulster title last year left 1992 still ringing in their ears. The build-up to the final, the victory, the celebrations, it was history in itself.
But even with another provincial title on board, it is still not going away. It has been 20 years and what an opportunity they now have to end the wait.
Donegal matched Kerry blow-for-blow and they will need to do that again on Sunday against a side that probably have a bit more composure than their Munster rivals at this stage of the panel’s development.
The Tír Conaill men may need to a bit more tentative this weekend.
The Rebel forward line is intimidating, regardless of the style the Ulster side employ, and they have star players in reserve if Colm O'Neill, Donnacha O'Connor and Nicolas Murphy do not break through.
There have been some reservations over the run to the final for the Munster men - how they haven’t been fully tested – but when a side has beaten Kerry and Kildare already in a Championship year without ever hitting full stride, they will be in a position to raise their game to put in a performance to reach another decider.
This semi-final will roar into life from the first whistle, Cork will try to keep composed yet use their quick passing game to rattle Donegal.
Scenes of pure quality and a physical battle like we saw in a different code last week may return, and it is going to be a real fight over 70 minutes.
Conor Counihan's men face their hardest challenge so far but this is where their freshness and strength on the bench will come to their advantage and they will finish the stronger side to have secure the final berth.
Verdict: Cork
