Galway are up against the doyens of camogie when they head to Croke Park for Sunday's All Ireland final (4pm ).
Cathal Murray's side seeks a fourth All Ireland senior camogie crown - Cork their 29th - and the Galway manager is under no illusions that Cork represents the best opponent Galway could face in this year's final. "They are a really good side, only beaten by a point in the last two semi-finals. They have a great record and we will have to be at our best," he says.
Deserving of their places in this year's decider, these two counties were the best of this year's competition, having advanced straight from their respective group stages to the semi-finals. And both came through tough matches - Galway with a solid four point win over Tipperary, while Cork dethroned the champions Kilkenny with a one-point win in injury time.
Cork, however, having not advanced to a final for the last three years, will be determined to make this one count, and with the four-times All Ireland winning manager Paudie Murray in his 10th season at the helm, Galway know what is in store. The Cork man is banking on his new crop of younger players having matured over the last season following the retirement of several stalwarts, and was delighted they showed the necessary character to come back from a two-point deficit to win.
They have some key players who can stifle Galway's attack, including Libby Coppinger, who was the player of the match in their semi-final, aided and abetted by Hannah Looney in the half back line. Up front Amy O'Connor and Linda Collins are real attacking threats.
Both sides showed their defensive prowess in their respective semi-finals, and although Galway squeezed over the line courtesy of an Orlaith McGrath goal, Cathal Murray's side was the better balanced. Stalwart Sarah Dervan continues to lead by example, while Siobhan McGrath is always a threat, alongside the experience of Aislish O'Reilly and Aoife Donoghue.
"The semi-final would have brought us on a good bit and everyone is in a really good place, and training has been going very well," Murray says.
"Tipperary are a really good team and to beat them by four points was very pleasing. Certainly our defence that day was very good, and the forwards played well, but they will need to be more consistent."
Murray insists there is no pressure on his squad, but says it is a massive occasion to represent the county in Croke Park.
And while Galway "have a clean bill of health, no major injuries, and are ready for action", he insists Galway will need to be on their game.
"All over the field our work rate has to be up there, so we will need to step it up - it's as simple as that. The semi-final would not be good enough to beat Cork because they have such a strong record
"The girls have worked really hard and they now need to put in the performance up there. It would be nice to see all the county behind them and it's important for the county to back them."
In last year's All Ireland final Galway lost to Kilkenny on December 12 in an empty Croke Park stadium. Hopefully, he says, Galway will enjoy a celebratory end to what had been a "strange year" with family and friends taking part in the occasion. Twenty-five years since Galway won their first All Ireland senior crown, now is an ideal time to celebrate a fourth O'Duffy Cup.
