Can there be a more appalling vista than a Cork double? The Margin cannot be alone in fearing a veritable orgy of gloating and self-congratulation should the boys in red scoop both hurling and football all-Irelands.

But before the finals even start, this column must give a begrudging salute to the marketing team at Esat Digifone. Any company that correctly predicts a county will reach the final, and gets its name on the jerseys, is sure of massive media exposure. But to have the Digifone logo appearing on 15 chests in two separate finals is a coup indeed.

Esat Digifone's chief executive, Mr Barry Maloney, told the Margin this week the company did make the calculation that because of the Rebel County's competence in both disciplines, Cork would provide the best exposure for the company: "We knew it was coming good, but we would never have forecast that they would reach the finals of both in the same year."

Last week's semi-final victory for Cork over the Connacht champions was for Mr Maloney a bittersweet affair, however. His father is from Bohola, Co Mayo.