Dublin v Cork - All Ireland semi final 11th August Croke Park 3.30pm

[CitySlicker11]

Excellent opportunity for both counties to reach an All Ireland final on the first weekend in September. It's a long time since either team has been involved in one (Hurling)

Paul Ryan has been having an excellent season for the Dubs, however I feel both Shane O'Neill and Conor O'Sullivan would be well able for him.

Conal Keaney at right half forward has a good enough chance in William Egan is on him, although Egan has been good all season. Breen caught a few balls off him in the Munster final and Daly may look to exploit him. Kenny could maybe pick him up.

If Kearney shows the same form as he did yesterday then I can see Cork just shading it in Midfield.

Peter Kelly has again been excellent this season and may pick up Horgan, if Cork can put the ball low in front of their full forward line they could fare well.

Dublin very strong at CHB, so Cork will be looking for Harnedy, Lehane and co to move Rushe about as much as possible and stop him from dropping deep in front of Horgan.

Cork by 2.

[Rossfan]

Excellent opportunity for both counties to reach an All Ireland final on the first weekend in September. It's a long time since either team has been involved in one (Hurling)

I suppose the Corkies would consider 6 or 7 years a long time alright.
1961 for Dublin?
A Limerick Dublin final would be nice.

[CitySlicker11]

Any team news for the weekend?

[Asal Mor]

Any team news for the weekend?

I haven't heard news of any injuries so I'd guess that both teams will be mostly unchanged. Fascinating game. The bookies have them both at even money.

What sort of a crowd will it get - 60,000 maybe? Cork usually have a good crowd on the Hill so it will be interesting to see what happens there. The Gaa are doing a good deal of 65 euro for both Dublin semi-finals. I'd avail of that if I was at home.

[johnneycool]

Excellent opportunity for both counties to reach an All Ireland final on the first weekend in September. It's a long time since either team has been involved in one (Hurling)

Paul Ryan has been having an excellent season for the Dubs, however I feel both Shane O'Neill and Conor O'Sullivan would be well able for him.

Conal Keaney at right half forward has a good enough chance in William Egan is on him, although Egan has been good all season. Breen caught a few balls off him in the Munster final and Daly may look to exploit him. Kenny could maybe pick him up.

If Kearney shows the same form as he did yesterday then I can see Cork just shading it in Midfield.

Peter Kelly has again been excellent this season and may pick up Horgan, if Cork can put the ball low in front of their full forward line they could fare well.

Dublin very strong at CHB, so Cork will be looking for Harnedy, Lehane and co to move Rushe about as much as possible and stop him from dropping deep in front of Horgan.

Cork by 2.

Whilst Egan looked vulnerable in the Limerick game, I thought he had a stormer in the quarter final vrs Kilkenny and held his own in the air and was covering the ground well. Cork have improved as the year has went on and will have learned an awful lot about themselves along the way, being Cork and having beat Kilkenny they'll be expecting to go to Croke Park and beat Dublin.

Where are Dublin though, they did well to beat a Kilkenny team minus Paul Murphy and Michael Fennelly, played a fast, open smart brand of hurling against Galway who were well off the pace yet got the score down to 4 or 5 points before finally succumbing to a forray of late scores. That same Galway team never improved against Clare and also bit the dust in a similar manner.
You can only beat whats put in front of you and so far they've passed those tests and similar to Cork will be confident of getting the result to put them into the final.

Both teams play a similar brand of hurling, Cork probably have the better forwards, but IMO Dublin probably have the better defenders to cope.

Just fancy Cork to win by 2 to 4 points.

[CitySlicker11]

I certainly agree Johnny, I thought he had an excellent game in the quarter final against Kilkenny, and no greater place to show it than against the Cats.

however I still think it would Dublin's best chance of making in roads. Could also see them trying Keaney in Full forward against McDonnell. Cork's two corner backs have been super all year and cant see them coughing up too many scores.

Midfield will have a huge bearing, and I couldn't predict who will come out on top here.

[orangeman]

Both teams evens.

Cork have the KK monkey off their back and have been playing games which might swing it for them.



But wouldn't you just love Dublin to keep the dream alive and get to and win the lot ?.

[Asal Mor]

My money's on Dublin. I think the Cork forwards will struggle to win ball against the Dublin backs. Cork still look too lightweight to me.

[Fairhead]

Logically for me Dublin should win this based on the fact they have been in 3 of the last 5 Leinster finals, won a league in 2011 and have won various minor and u21 Leinster titles over the last few years. Add in an AI semi final 2 years ago against Tipp and you can see a natural progression of a county. On the hand Cork have not won a Munster senior since 2006 and haven't won a minor or u21 Munster title since 2008 so you would think it has to be Dublin.

However the closer it gets to this game the more of a feeling I get that Cork will win. A JBM Cork team are not goin to be afraid of Dublin so they will be confident. Kearney in midfield in the first half vs Kilkenny was fantastic, Horgan throughout the game was excellent (some of his points from play were sublime), Pa Cronin wins a lot of ball and Harnedy has been impressive. Then later today some of the other forwards could have a blinder a la Mark Foley in 1990.

In saying all that Keaney could win a mountain of a ball and Rushe could dominate so its all set up perfectly and im really looking forward to it.
 

[heffo]

Nerves starting to kick in.

Dubs to nick it or Corl to do it comfortably

Should be a great game

[Lecale2]

I'd like to see the Dubs in the final for a change but the head goes with Cork by 3.

[Farrandeelin]

Hope Dublin do it. It'd be great if they could.

[spuds]

Good tight game, being ruined by Marty's overly flowery commentary. Don't be telling us how great everything in the game is you flute.

[joemamas]

Good tight game, being ruined by Marty's overly flowery commentary. Don't be telling us how great everything in the game is you flute.

Marty morrisey is a p***k doing his best to ruin it. Ready to hit mute

[From the Bunker]

I hate listening to Marty Morrissey. Especially the ''Oh Dear'' when a player makes a mistake. Feck has he ever played the game. Players make mistakes.