There are plenty of people willing to concede the All-Ireland final as another Tipp-Kilkenny matchup, despite the fact that four other counties have legitimate aspirations to spoil the party. Top of the list comes Galway, followed very closely by Waterford. Cork and Dublin cannot be written off because if either of them finds form this weekend they will ride that momentum into an All-Ireland semi-final.

It’s an attractive double-header in Thurles on Sunday and from it will emerge one proper contender. The case for Waterford is almost the strongest. They were highly impressive in the Munster final and just lacked a cutting edge up front when that need was greatest. They still stayed with Tipperary for the 70 minutes and I have never seen a team apply themselves as much as they did in a pulsating middle 40 minutes.

They face a Dublin team that will struggle in the face of this relentless work rate. Countless times in the Munster final the Tipp backs turned ball over as they were surrounded by worker bees, tackling aggressively and smartly. Only the very best teams can deal with this ferocity.

Dublin’s win over Limerick was of the ugly variety. The Dubs showed admirable character to pluck the game from the abyss, trailing early on by 1-7 to 0-2, then battling back to make the game a contest in the last 20. But there are huge question marks over this form. This was probably the worst championship match of the summer between two accepted top hurling counties. Anything resembling this performance from Dublin and Waterford will win as they like.

While fancying Tipperary in that Munster final, I came away a huge fan of this Waterford side, also thinking that if there was a transfer market in hurling then Kevin Moran’s agent would be a busy man. Austin Gleeson, Colin Dunford, Tadgh de Búrca and the young Bennetts had a small setback when they fell to the Clare U-21s but that loss might act as a spur this weekend.

I can see nothing else but the Déise qualifying for an All-Ireland semi-final and when that happens, Brian Cody will be getting his thinking cap on because these guys are the real deal.

Cork v Galway

Top billing on Sunday rests with Cork and Galway and that’s understandable. This game has a lot going for it. Despite their huge number of wides against Clare, Jimmy Barry Murphy’s side answered plenty of questions when they pulled the game from the fire in the last 10 minutes. This team have leaders and regardless of their sometimes very shaky back division, they are capable of racking up big scoring totals.

While Conor Lehane was quiet against the Banner, Patrick Horgan re-emerged with a definitive end to that contest. He is one of the best forwards in the country and when he plays like that the Rebels inevitably win. Lehane, Cadogan, Cooper and Pat Cronin didn’t set the world alight the last day out; I’d expect them to rediscover form – they are too good not to. There is probably a big game in Cork and if they straighten up in front of goal, they will have the Tribesmen stretched.

Galway, on the other hand, must win this game. If they don’t their impressive Leinster campaign will mean nothing and the same old doubts about them will resurface. It hasn’t been easy to be a Galway hurler in recent times. It’s been harder to be their manager because this is a team that has struggled for about a decade now to string very good back-to-back performances together. They arrive in Thurles with a defeat behind them but one in which they lost very little. They stood up to Kilkenny and remained in that game to the end, the back-door escape hatch dulling the pain of the loss. But it’s now or never for them. Anthony Cunningham told Brian Cody after the Leinster final that he’d see him again in the All-Ireland final. And he publicised the fact. Brave words that must be backed up.

This game has shootout written all over it and neither will be put out if that’s what breaks out in Semple Stadium. For Galway to win, they will have to impose themselves on the Cork forwards. Mind you, players that can beat you from out the field cannot be afforded space. The Galway half-back line of Fergal Moore, Iarla Tannion and Daithí Burke (if selected) will need help from in front of them.

Joe Canning will cause problems for the Rebels, naturally, but his supporting cast are the ones that must seal the deal. The Cats identified Cathal Mannion as a threat and he was restricted to one point in Croke Park. Sub Jason Flynn gave Jackie Tyrell plenty of problems and that should qualify any forward for a start.

Galway’s advantage over their opponents this weekend is on the ball-winning front. Mannion, Donnellan, Johnny Glynn and Canning are all powerfully effective in the air. If Cork do have a weakness, it might be here.

This could be a cracker, the winners will probably face Tipperary and they will do so with that crucial ingredient: momentum. For all the talk about Cork’s deficiencies, this team have been in All-Ireland finals and semi-finals with regularity in recent years. It should be tight but I have a hunch they’re on a bit of a roll.

Football qualifiers

On Saturday, Fermanagh and Westmeath meet for a place in the quarter-finals, as do Kildare and Cork. The dubious reward for the winners are games in the last eight against Kerry and Dublin. Cork will be vulnerable seven days after the Kingdom fairly snuffed them out in the Killarney replay. Thurles for another football match will be unique for the Lilywhites anyway and the big pitch might suit their fresher legs. I’d give them a decent squeak here because Cork’s character will be questioned and while that’s always good for a bounce at the start, over 70 minutes Kildare just mightn’t see it out.

Westmeath should be right to see off Fermanagh. They’ve had a two-week break, their Leinster campaign was decent and against the Dubs it was damage limitation. They’ll see more ball, have more room and may even enjoy themselves in Breffni Park.

From here on every game is knockout in both codes. Amen to that.