Hoping against

Diarmuid Sheehan sums up the mood on Leeside and suggests that against all odds the Rebels could do something special this Sunday

WELL here we go again. Two of the biggest rivals In Irish sport will go head-to-head in one of the longest running sagas that the GAA can muster.

Cork versus Kerry conjures up emotions and memories from days gone by. Ask any football loving Cork man is there a better day in the calendar than a summer’s day, heading to Killarney and giving the Kingdom a taste of what they have giving us for years?

The answer my friends is clearly no. It is the pinnacle of what Cork players and fans look to each year. You can keep your All Irelands and your All Stars. Beating Kerry in their own back yard and progressing at their expense is what Cork football fans want.

Of course we’re being a touch over the top here.

The All Ireland is the ultimate goal, but more often than not the large obstacle that sits in the way of the goal is the Green and Gold machine and for the Red and White it is an object that must be overcome.

This season, like most before, pits the two big sides in Munster against each other and, with respect to the Tipperarys of this world, that is just what the fans want to see. Killarney will be hopping this weekend.

The sun will hopefully grace us with its presence and Cork fans will fill up on diesel and sandwiches and help create one of the most frustrating bottle necks outside of the M50. However, to be fair it will be a whole pile more fun than that daily commute those poor souls inside the pale have to endure day after day after day.

Kerry publicans will welcome the Rebels with open arms praying for a good game and, surprisingly, not a Kerry win but perhaps a draw. The win would do nicely at the second attempt.

Kerry are raging hot favourites for this game and why wouldn’t they be? Of course the Kingdom boys haven’t lit up the championship yet, they haven’t had to, but Cork, with all due respect to all concerned have been shocking.

A one point win away to a Waterford side that defended deep and only went at Cork when they saw a major scalp was there for the taking was hardly the greatest opening gambit this under pressure side could have provided.

This was followed by a one point win over a Tipp side that