It's strange that Cork have slipped so far off the mountain top since 2010. Looking at their squad, and how it has improved its resources, that Kerry, Dublin and Donegal have stretched past them ensures the management's performance deserves further scrutiny. They are clinging onto their top-four status. In many minds, Mayo have already usurped them.
Further down the scale Galway have suffered similar stagnation, and that’s being kind about it, with the quality at Alan Mullholland’s disposal simply not delivering when thrashed by Mayo back in May.
They went away from plain sight, creating giggles in press boxes at more serious games when word filtered through that Galway had sneaked past Tipperary and Waterford. At least beating Armagh last weekend was done with some panache.
No county team with so many underage medals and Michael Meehan leading the attack can be taken for granted. There has to be more to Galway. And it is not all about Meehan either as Danny Cummins and Michael Martin know where the posts are at, while Seán Armstrong has been at it for years.
But this result will be all about Cork. After the changes Conor Counihan made before the Munster final defeat to Kerry, his team selection this evening cannot be trusted.
Dropping Donnacha O'Connor and promoting Ciarán Sheehan in the full forward line is the most notable switch. The midfield has also been split up with Graham Canty supposedly returning to centre back and Aidan Walsh at centre forward. That sees Alan O'Connor and Pearse O'Neill at midfield. Any more surprises would be farcical.
That messing aside, Cork should have far too much about them to allow Galway do any more than trouble them. It should be a decent test, a close enough affair but if an upset is brewing Cork’s reserves should be able to turn the tide.
Galway’s defensive resilience against Armagh seems to indicate the problems that led to 4-16 against Mayo have been addressed.
But Cork have to show more than we’ve seen so far. Their array of talent demands a serious challenge to the other contenders for Sam Maguire.
