All-Ireland SFC quarter-final: Dublin v Cork (Croke Park, 6pm today)
TWO teams on their way back - but Dublin have far less distance to travel.
Cork are coming - but the Dubs are already there.
That’s not just about the location of this quarter-final, but the respective state and status of the two sides.
Much has been made of the talent drain from the Dubs, and they are missing a galaxy of stars, most of them recognisable by a single name or nickname: Cluxton, Davy Byrne, Philly, Jack, Cian, MDMA, Mannion.
Those magnificent seven all started the last Championship encounter against Cork, the Super Eights opener of 2019, which the Dubs won comfortably, by 5-18 to 1-17 in Croke Park. Niall Scully also lined out that day.
Yet Dublin still have a core of experienced, top notch players who started that 13-point win: Michael Fitzsimons, John Small, Brian Fenton, Brian Howard, Ciaran Kilkenny, Cormac Costello, and Con O’Callaghan. Dean Rock, Eoin Murchan, and current captain James McCarthy all came off the bench.
In contrast, only two Cork men lined out against Dublin and also against Limerick in the round two qualifier almost a fortnight ago: midfielder Ian Maguire and full-forward - and joint-captain - Brian Hurley.
Kevin O’Donovan, John O’Rourke, and Steven Sherlock did all come off the bench in that Croke Park encounter of three summers ago, but this is very much a new-look Cork team.
Dublin boss Dessie Farrell has been dealing in evolution, whereas even the man in charge of Cork has changed.
Ronan McCarthy’s replacement in 2021, Keith Ricken, stepped aside earlier this year for health reasons, with the experienced John Cleary stepping up.
The Castlehaven clubman does have his other joint-captain, Sean Meehan on the bench, but is still without the likes of Conor Corbett, Kevin Flahive, Liam O’Donovan, and Killian O’Hanlon.
We all know which way this one is going: Dublin are 1/50 favourites, expected to win by around a dozen points.
Cork’s challenge is to be competitive, to keep their margin of defeat in single figures, and to show that there is a Rebels revival on the senior stage.
Cork’s re-building process has called upon stars from the team which stunned Dublin in the 2019 U20 All-Ireland FC Final - Meehan, full-back Maurice Shanley, Colm O’Callaghan - now at midfield - and corner-forward Cathail O’Mahony. Paul Ring, Blake Murphy, and Damien Gore are on the bench.
Tellingly, so far Farrell has only really deployed the imposing Peadar O Cofaigh Byrne from that Dubs side, although goalkeeper David O'Hanlon, defender Daire Newcombe, and forwards Ross McGarry and David Lacey.
It’s not quite ‘men against boys’ this evening, but Dublin are much further along the senior road than the Rebels.
Remember that Dublin’s run of six consecutive All-Ireland triumph was only ended after extra time in last year’s All-Ireland SFC semi-final.
They’ve returned to winning ways in some style this year, thrashing Wexford, Meath, and Kildare by a cumulative 50 points, an average winning margin of almost 17.
Sure, Wexford were Division Four strugglers, but Meath were in Division Two and Kildare in Division One, albeit ended up relegated along with the Dubs.
The boys in blue have bounced back brilliantly from that setback.
Cork have recovered from their own brush with demotion, needing a one-point final round win in Offaly to send their hosts down to Division Three instead of them.
They were then thrashed by Kerry in the Munster semi-final, losing by 12 points, 0-23 to 0-11, before edging past Louth and Limerick in the qualifiers.
Dublin are levels above all those sides; above everyone else in this writer’s estimation.
Cork might get some joy by high balls in towards the Dublin ‘square’, but the real issue this evening will be their efforts to contain the Dubs’ attack.
That scoring power isn’t just limited to their fearsome forwards, notably Cormac Costello, Con O’Callaghan, Dean Rock, and Ciaran Kilkenny, but extends to the likes of the two Raheny Brians, Fenton and Howard, and back further to skipper McCarthy and even the speedy Eoin Murchan.
Stopping Dublin in full flow is akin to holding a bucket’s worth of water in your bare hands.
Cork might stem the tide for a while, but - as the bookies have known since the draw was made - Dublin will be heading into the semi-finals.
It’s been more than seven years since Cork beat Dublin, and not since the 2010 semi-final in the Championship. That wait will go on.
Two teams on their own journeys upwards - but only one winner.
Dublin: TBC
[PROBABLE: E Comerford; E Murchan, M Fitzsimons, L Gannon; J Small, B Howard, J McCarthy (capt.); B Fenton, T Lahiff; S Bugler, C Kilkenny, L O’Dell; C Costello, Con O’Callaghan, D Rock.
Cork: M A Martin; S Powter, M Shanley, K O’Donovan; J Cooper, R Maguire, M Taylor; I Maguire, C O’Callaghan; D Dineen, E McSweeney, J O’Rourke; S Sherlock, B Hurley (joint-captain), C O’Mahony.
Subs: C Kelly, P Ring, S Meehan (joint-captain), T Walsh, C Kiely, P Walsh, B Hayes, J Cahalane, D Gore, L Fahy, B Murphy.
Referee: Sean Hurson (Tyrone).
