Rebel cause won’t be enough

CORK’S mission in Killarney is simple. They have to respond or die. The only pressure on them ahead of tomorrow’s Munster final is the pressure they should be putting on themselves within the four walls of the dressing-room. They have stumbled and stuttered to a Munster final — through an injury-time point by Donnacha O’Connor against Waterford and a last-minute goal against Tipp after only scoring a point in the first half. Talking to Cork supporters this past week, there is no element of hope in them at all ahead of this game. But that apathy and hopelessness should be translated into a cause. They are totally under the radar, aside from the list of former Kerry greats who are lining up to warn their own county of a Rebel backlash with examples of ambushes down the years. But they are talking about much more formidable Cork sides of the past. There is still evidence that Cork raise their game for their neighbours. Two years ago, they stumbled into another Munster final and should have won the first day. So Kerry folk are right to be wary, but when all is said and done, Éamonn Fitzmaurice will be turning his attention to an All-Ireland quarterfinal tomorrow evening.