Cork v Dublin, Sunday 4pm, Croke Park
Geraldine O'Flynn has hailed the success of Cork's rising stars in helping their push for more All-Ireland Ladies' football glory.
After Cork won the TG4 All Ireland Senior Championship crown 12 months ago, they were hit by the loss of four members of the team that lined out in the final because of retirement or commitments away from the game.
But the Rebel County have survived well with a host of players who had little or no previous experience of being involved with the senior squad playing key parts in their run to Sunday's decider where they will face Dublin.
Marie Ambrose, Aisling Barrett, Ashling Hutchings and Áine O'Sullivan are all tipped the start against the Dubs at Croke Park after this season impressively seizing their chance in the side.
"There is great pace in their side and their forwards pose a big threat so all in all it promises to be a tough test for us"
And O'Flynn, who is chasing a 10th All-Ireland in 11 years with Cork, paid tribute to the newcomers.
She said: "I think the players who have come into the team deserve huge respect because sometimes it is not easy being called into a side that has been so successful.
"You might be taking the place of someone who has done very well over a long time and generally there is a lot of pressure involved in filling their boots and adapting.
"Some players can struggle but those who have been drafted in for us this year have been terrific. They have taken their opportunity with both hands and done their bit for the team."
This year's TG4 All-Ireland final will be a repeat of last term's, which Cork won by one point after a dramatic climax.
O'Flynn landed the winning point on that occasion as Cork remarkably clawed their way back from 10 adrift of Dublin with just 15 minutes remaining.
However, while she expects Dublin will be keen to make amends for that loss, the All Star does not believe what happened will have that much of a bearing on this game.
O'Flynn added: "I can still remember last year's final quite well in how we seemed to be down and out but just stuck at it and managed to fight back.
"Perhaps the experience of having won several big games before that helped us to not panic or give in. We had been in some tight corners before, although probably none as tight as that, and were able to save the day.
"It is ironic that we are going to be playing Dublin again this time but for us last year's Championship was put to one side long ago and 2015 stands on its own.
"Dublin might use the last final as motivation but all in all I do not think the latest meeting of the teams will be influenced too much by last year’s."
And she continued: "I saw Dublin's semi-final against Armagh this month on television and I was hugely impressed by them.
"There is great pace in their side and their forwards pose a big threat so all in all it promises to be a tough test for us."
"For sure we are keeping our fingers crossed that history will repeat itself"
Cork have advanced to the All-Ireland final after bouncing back from losing the Munster final to Kerry. A victory over Meath in the All-Ireland qualifiers saw Cork get back on track and they followed that up by defeating Galway in a quarter-final before they turned the tables on Kerry in the last four.
But O'Flynn says the last clash with Kerry, which they won comfortably, actually left them with plenty to ponder facing into the final.
O'Flynn recalled: "Kerry got 13 scores in that game which was more than we would have wanted to concede.
"And while we scored 4-14 ourselves, we did not take as many of the chances created that we would have liked.
"It has given us work to be focusing on for the final and hopefully we can go out and do better. But the fact we are into the final is a bonus when you consider that we were beaten by nine points in the provincial final.
"We were worried with that – and especially the way we collapsed in the second half to finish well adrift.
"The good thing, though, was that we had the qualifiers to try and regroup. It was similar to two years ago when we also lost to Kerry in the Munster final but we got back to winning ways to go on and claim the All-Ireland later in the season.
"For sure we are keeping our fingers crossed that history will repeat itself."
