August awaits for one side
But before either Cork or Galway can start thinking of Tipperary or Kilkenny in an All-Ireland semi-final next month they must try and engineer a win in Thurles on Sunday.
Interestingly both sides have momentum back after disappointment in their provincial campaigns, but we’ve picked out five key battles that may settle this weekend’s clash.
Can Galway shackle Conor Lehane and Pa Horgan?
After the Munster final there was serious question over Cork’s attack.
Conor Lehane in particular came in for heavy criticism after the Rebels charge ground to a halt against Derek McGrath’s Waterford brick wall.
However since that result Cork have scored a combined 2-40 in the wins over Wexford and Clare.
Lehane looked back to his best against the Yellowbellies as he hit 1-6, while Horgan as ever, has been deadly accurate from placed balls.
Galway were in two minds whether to go ultra defensive against Kilkenny or man for man, but such is the strike rate of the Cats that points from long range were easily managed when facing both systems.
Cork don’t have players to strike the ball as sweetly as TJ Reid or a Richie Hogan, so quick ball into the corners would appear to be their route to success.
Galway will be hoping that they can get enough cover to try and cut off that supply or at least crowd around either man when he does get ball.
Not an easy task, and it could be a trying afternoon for Padriag Mannion and Johnny Coen in the Galway full-back line.
Their last two games have seen them conceded 2-29
Cork’s leaky defence
We’ve going to have to get a new skin for the drum we’ve been beating since 2013 about Cork’s poor defence that only recently have seen an improvement
Goals have been Cork’s down fall in recent years, and after conceding three against Waterford, they kept a clean sheet against both Wexford and Clare.
Brian Murphy’s reintroduction may be key to this, and who he will be set marking on Sunday will be very interesting. His legs may not be as energetic anymore, but the brain and wrist work is still razor sharp, and his leadership as well as organisational ability has been key in the last two games to Cork’s stinginess.
Joe Canning, Cathal Mannion and Jason Flynn will need to be stopped from getting inside 21 metres one-on-one with their markers.
No easy task but one that Cork have had two weeks to try and find a solution for.
Cork’s momentum
Galway and Cork both have had a two week lay off, but Cork have played two competitive games since their provincial exit.
Anthony Cunningham has been looking to keep things ticking over with internal games but it is often those in-house games that have led to problems within the Tribesmen’s camp in recent years as legs and arms come in for tough punishment.
The Rebels win over Clare was pure Cork in how even going two points down inside the last 10 minutes there was no panic.
Their ability to create scores from little possession and their rotation of the ball makes them difficult to pin down.
Jimmy Barry Murphy may also have decided that playing with more freedom suits players such as Lehane, who if stationed within 30 metres of goal and with support runners near-by can win a game on his own.
Cork’s two wins gives them an advantage tactically as well as mentally. They have ironed out the creases that were so evident against Waterford,.
It could be crucial against a team coming off the back of yet another Leinster final defeat.
Galway’s physicality
They beat Dublin literally up a stick in their replay and they showed gritted teeth against Kilkenny in the Leinster final.
Galway won’t win any fair play awards this year, but finally after years of being accused of being too soft they have added a very physical dimension to the always present liquid skill.
In the rucks that develop Galway have a huge presence and it was eye-opening to see how little respect they had for so many Kilkenny players.
Kieran Joyce was just one of a number of Cats to feel felt the full-force of Jonathan Glynn in one of the more robust challenges in the game.
Cork have no real physical enforcer as such, but if they do need to mix it up you’d be looking for Aidan Walsh to stand up to Andy Smith and Daithi Burke.
The eternal Joe question
Joe Canning and Michael Murphy probably have a lot in common in their GAA careers.
Expectation everyday they go out on the pitch that they will produce something magical and memorable. But both are now being saddled with an undue burden of having to defend and attack.
Canning’s running stats must be among the highest in the GAA as he seeks the ball everywhere on the pitch. But if he stays inside the edge of the square and ball doesn’t come to him he’s accused of not being involved enough.
He just can’t win.
The goal against Kilkenny showed that if isolated he is deadly, but there is no way Cork will allow Canning space to run onto passes from fifty metres on Sunday.
So does he come to the half-forward line to forage and feed the two men inside which more than likely means he’ll be bottled up and the ball going in will be under pressure.
Canning is the secret to Galway’s success but a secret is only worth something if only a few people know.
Joe’s too obvious a target for defences. But he’s too good a talent to be wasted as a decoy.
How Galway use him and how the Cork full-back line cope Sunday’s clash.
