For the past decade or more, Cork have not been able to secure enough ball up the field through primary possession to give them a platform to attack teams, and this season they have just found that balance.
Patrick Collins now has the option of finding Barret or Fitzgibbon darting into the channels or going long onto the top of Harnedy or Hayes, who often makes his way out to contest the monster deliveries from the Cork goalkeeper.
Seamus Harnedy is now accompanied by two very capable assistants in Declan Dalton and Shane Barrett and they have had a major say in every one of Cork’s big performances, crucially in the semi-final, where they contributed eleven points between the three of them (0-9 from play).
If that Clare half-back line can curb the influence of Cork’s half-forwards, I think it tips the scales in Clare’s favour.
What was really apparent against Kilkenny was the influence of the Clare substitutions Ian Galvin, and especially Ryan Taylor.
Taylor, just back after a full year out following a cruciate operation, came on to win six possessions in the final 20 minutes which was massive. He brought so much energy, pace and work rate in the middle which gave Clare that stranglehold in the middle third that drove them over the line.
Now everybody will say, ‘well, what about Cork’s impact off the bench?’, with Shane Kingston doing damage most of the time when introduced although he didn’t add much to it in the semi-final when he came on.
Cork also have Robbie O’Flynn and Jack O’Connor in reserve who, like Kingston, have pace to burn.
