Will Cork football take its final step towards redemption in the upcoming All-Ireland SFC final? No, says Kerry legend Ger Power. Back in the days when Kerry's footballers were doing a 'Kilkenny' on all-comers in Munster and beyond, Kingdom teams were aglow with stardust. But while the mercurial individual talents on board Kerry teams of the 'seventies and 'eighties stood out like pieces of coal on newly-fallen snow, it was the collective strength of the players that glued them to the top prizes for so long and so often. Ahead of their meeting in this year's All-Ireland final, questions continue to be posed about the cohesion and strength-depth within Jack O'Connor's camp. However for his part, multiple Celtic Cross holder Ger Power has no doubts about Kerry's capacity to match Cork's full array of armoury. "Looking at the last number of matches, Kerry's team-work hasn't been great at times and sometimes not a lot of them have clicked at the same time. "But they've still got a lot of classy footballers, possessing different qualities and, in every department, I think they should at least match up to Cork." Part of the famed Kerry teams that reaped a Munster SFC four-in-a-row, from 1975-78, Power admits he was impressed by Cork's imperious performance against Tyrone in the recent semi-final. In sending out a clear message of intent, Cork's performance suggests that each Kerry player will have to play out of their skin to deny their rivals a long-awaited Sam Maguire Cup triumph. "I accept that the Kerry players will have to rise to the occasion but I expect they will do just that," the Austin Stacks clubman explains. "I would hope that Kerry can get by with at least a couple of points to spare at the final whistle but they'll have to produce their best form of the year. "Cork are the form team going into the match and have looked the better football team but it's not always the better footballers who end up on the winning team in an All-Ireland final. "If Kerry can produce the sort of football that they came up with against Dublin, they'll win hands down but if we see some of the stuff that was evident in the games against Antrim and Longford, well then I'd be very worried about the consequences." Power and co. have indeed every right to be worried about which Kerry squad will turn up at Croker in the coming days. In the three weeks running up to the Dublin game, there wasn't a hint that the demolition job that they did against the Dubs was in the pipeline. In that space of time, Kerry managed to hold onto their Championship status by the skin of their teeth. The fact that the scares came from spats with the unfancied triumvirate of Longford, Sligo and Antrim was most alarming of all for Kerry fans. The Kingdom showed neither the hunger, the legs or the freshness to suggest that they would make it to the last four never mind the decider. Kerry, it seemed, were on the ropes and the Dubs were posted as favourites to overcome opponents apparently very much ill-at-ease. Rumours of discontent in the Kingdom tent were only heightened before the Antrim game when Tomas O Se and Colm Cooper were dropped due to disciplinary reasons. It is said that nobody goes away hungry from a table of rumours and to say that a lot of appetites were sated down in the deep south would be an understatement. Suffice to say the rumours continued right up to throw-in time for the Dublin game. And then demolition day arrived: "I have to say I was pleasantly surprised by the result against Dublin," says Power,"but I think the whole country was caught on the hop by that one. "It seemed like Kerry needed those three games to iron out some problems they were having. The team was very lucky to beat Longford; extremely lucky to beat Sligo and were behind by a point at half-time against Antrim so there was a lot for Jack O'Connor to chew on at that stage. "Looking back on the last few weeks, I think that if Kerry had gone on and beaten Cork in the Munster final, they would have been knocked out in the semi-finals. "The team's performances before the Dublin game definitely showed the players needed to build up their fitness levels. "The win against Dublin was very impressive but it looks like it'll have to be a case of the same again if they're to win the final." It's obvious that 57-year old Power's view of his county's chances of going the distance this year has been greatly uplifted by their improved form. But he says a more consistent effort is still required and Kerry "weren't good against Meath". There were mitigating circumstances though, he says. Power reveals that a second string Kerry played the Royal County in a challenge game in Killarney in May and eased to victory. "The team that played that day bore no resemblence to the team that lined out in the semi-final and was Darragh O Se's first comeback match. "The fact that Kerry had it so handy that day maybe worked against them, psychologically, by the time they met again in Croke Park. "The Killarney result must have been in the back of their minds because they didn't seem up for it in the semi-final." With so many great battles against the 'oul enemy lodged in his cerebellum, Power is understandably wary of the Rebel County threat in-waiting. He admires the spirit Conor Counihan's team has shown thus far and their character too. "They seem more driven this year," he notes. The eight-times all-Ireland SFC medallist reckons Cork's Class of 2009 fairly has been put together in the image of their team-manager, Conor Counihan. "Conor has put together a strong, determined and intelligent group of footballers and there's a nice blend of under 21s and seniors in the panel. "They look really focussed all year and they'll obviously be keen to avenge their defeat two years ago and build on their Munster final win." And his take on Cork's annexation of the provincial crown this year? "Cork ran rings around Kerry in the last fifteen minutes or so in the replay and deserved to win the title," the former flying forward opines. "For over an hour Cork didn't give Kerry a look in but then they lost their way and Kerry came back to level it and it looked like anybody's game. "The defeat was a real eye-opener for Kerry and it's not hard to see why Cork have been made favourites to add the All-Ireland to their Munster title." The replayed provincial final at Pairc Ui Chaoimh was a titanic affair with red cards for Paul Galvin and Noel O'Leary one of the main talking points. Interestingly, Power believes that Galvin could play the central role in this year's big, big game. "The marquee players will be to the fore but, overall, I think the game will be decided by the form of the half-forwards and the half-backs. "I have a feeling that Paul Galvin will be the man-of-the-match and that he'll help Kerry shade it. And that's my head and my heart talking. "Galvin is a great player for putting his head on the chopping block and showing the guts and courage needed to win the big matches." Power clearly respects Cork football and the team that will represent the Rebels in the upcoming mother and father of matches. He particularly admires what Graham Canty brings to the table on behalf of Counihan's crew. "Canty has always been a good player and was outstanding in the semi-final against Tyrone where he was probably man-of-the-match. "But has he enough good players alongside him to do the business against Kerry? "Cork have a habit of falling down at the big hurdle in Croke Park and I don't see them changing that habit this year in the final." Irrespective of which team is left standing at the final whistle, Power is convinced that this year's All-Ireland decider will be easy on the eye. He believes both of the Munster giants will be determined to display their best wares on the biggest stage of all: "I think the purists will be happy with final and that there'll be plenty of good football played. "It's all about what happens on the day and which team has the greater hunger. "At the end of the day, I think Kerry will have a clear-cut win, maybe by about six or seven points." Tweet

Most Read Stories