IT’S BEEN FIFTEEN YEARS SINCE Dublin and Cork last met in the All-Ireland championship, with Dublin winning out in the All-Ireland semi-final on their way to the 1995 All-Ireland title.
It seems strange to comprehend that in the fifteen years since, neither side has managed to claim Sam Maguire – in fact, Dublin haven’t even made a final since their victory in 1995, while Cork have fallen to Meath and then, repeatedly, their foes from Kerry.
But with the Kingdom and the last decade’s other collosus, Tyrone, both out of the tournament at this semi-final stage, the incentive to get to the All-Ireland final this year is even greater: with either Down or Kildare remaining in the other side of the draw, the chances are that the victor of Sunday’s clash will be firm favourites to claim overall glory.
First of all, of course, the sides have to get over each other – and, having not met in the Championship since ’95, there is not a massive amount of familiarity between the teams. Sure, they have met in the National League most years, but the makeup of the squads – and the tempo of the game, which reaches frightening ferociousness when it comes to summer – is an entirely different beast.
Cork though, in particular, will feel that this ought to be there year. The Rebels went into the summer as favourites to take their first All-Ireland for 20 years, having made two finals in the last three years only to lose to Kerry both times.
A new era without Pillar and pillars
Dublin, on the other hand, have always flattered to deceive: while Leinster titles are ten aplenty for the metropolitans over the last five years, the Blues – under Paul ‘Pillar’ Caffrey, at least – never seemed to be able to hold out when faced with sterner opposition from outside the province.
Cork are undoubtedly the more experienced of the two teams, having been down this September road a few times already. But while the players have undoubtedly cut their teeth already, they haven’t performed to their usual level thus far.
The Rebels fell short after a replay to Kerry in the Munster semi-final, having struggled to overcome Limerick before that, and not being particularly emphatic in any of their outings since.
Dublin, meanwhile, are a team in transition, missing the likes of Ciarán Whelan and Jason Sherlock that were ever-present over the last fifteen years. Sherlock was the last man of the current squad to have played in 1995; without him, however, the squad seems to have found a new cohesion and bottle.
The Dublins of old, having gone behind to Tyrone as they did in their quarter-final, would have spluttered a resistance but ultimately succumbed. This year, having had a more intense summer following their Leinster departure to Meath, Dublin have become more battle-hardened.
They have yet to encounter the likes of Cork, though, and one suspects that the team that simply shows up with more heart on the day will be the one that books itself a ticket to Croke Park for the third Sunday in September – and can claim to have one hand already on Sam.
GAA Football All-Ireland Senior Championship: Semi Final – Dublin v Cork, Sunday 3:30pm, Croke Park
GAA Football All-Ireland Minor Championship: Semi Final – Mayo v Tyrone, Sunday 1:30pm, Croke Park
