Finally we have a bumper weekend of GAA from start to finish, with Sunday providing the real highlights with the Munster football final and the Leinster hurling final keeping us in front of our TVs or within earshot of the radio if we’re not lucky enough to get to Killarney or Croker.

The Munster football final, especially when it’s played in Fitzgerald Stadium, always appeals. Cork will travel more in hope than confidence, but knowing that this ground has always suited them and it is here that they have made many statements in the past. I believe they will do the same on Sunday by shocking the All-Ireland champions.

This belief is built more on instinct than hard evidence. The Kingdom are, after all, defending Munster and All-Ireland champions, playing on their home ground, with an eye-catching squad available for selection. They are the hottest of favourites.

Such conditions are perfect for the Rebels – they can catch Kerry.

The case for them is traditional. Cork are due a victory over their oldest of rivals and they are due a proper performance from this team. If they don’t stand up on Sunday, regardless of the back-door alternative, they are most likely done.

Kerry showed signs of vulnerability against Tipperary, albeit this being a natural occurrence on their first day out in the championship. The concession of two early goals and the possibility of a few more in Thurles will have caught Brian Cuthbert’s eye, however. The Kingdom are not watertight at the back and players like Colm O’Neill, Paul Kerrigan and Donncha O’Connor will surely be instructed to take their men on early and go for the jugular.

What holds counties like Mayo back on the big days is often an element of stage fright in front of goal, but this is something that rarely troubles Cork – they’re usually stocked with players comfortable with the ball on their hands and the posts in their sight. It is in midfield and behind that they usually struggle but when they get that right, they are a match for most. On Sunday, they will place a lot of that responsibility on the capable O’Driscolls – in all likelihood four of them will line out (three of whom are brothers).

Kerry’s issues are mostly defensive, although Éamonn Fitzmaurice’s biggest playing problem is a first world one: how does he select 15 players without leaving the odd superstar out? Right now, it would appear Tommy Walsh, Aidan O’Mahony and Paul Galvin are squad members, while the fit-again James O’Donoghue has to be accommodated from the off. Colm Cooper, while physically fit again, appears to be lacking match sharpness. It is worth remembering that Kerry won an All-Ireland without him and the play-making role he adopted at centre-forward. Throw in captain Kieran Donaghy and whether to place him at the edge of the square or in midfield and Fitzmaurice has selection dilemmas aplenty.

A fit-again David Moran would make that process easier and reports suggest his shoulder injury has cleared up. If he starts and is anything close to the form of last year, then Cork’s task gets a little harder. Weighing all that up, though, Cork have a real sniff here. Their need is greater and they’re the pick.

Galway v Kilkenny

In Croke Park on Sunday, the Leinster hurling final pits the immortal Kilkenny against a Galway team that has shown signs of getting their act together. Ridiculous as it sounds, Sunday is not the day to beat the Cats – that is still best done when they don’t have a back-door recourse.

In his first year in charge, Anthony Cunningham’s side blitzed Kilkenny at this juncture only to lose the All-Ireland final after a replay, almost three months later. A Leinster title isn’t high on Galway’s agenda – only an All-Ireland will suffice and while there is a cup handed out after this game, it’s not the one that really matters.

The key to stopping the All-Ireland champions is limiting the effects of Richie Hogan and TJ Reid. Only the right attitude, work rate, skill and fortune will get that job done. And after that you have to hope that Eoin Larkin, Walter Walsh and the Powers don’t decide to pick up the slack.

Joe Canning’s improving form against Laois and Dublin is a real plus for the Tribesmen, who have also unveiled another much-needed killer forward in Cathal Mannion. The solidity of Andy Smyth, Jonathan Glynn and Cyril Donnellan makes them a forward line with real bite thus far this championship, but Tyrell, Murphy, Holden, Joyce and Paraic Walsh will put that to the real test.

Both sides come in with hammerings delivered in their rearview mirrors, but Galway have played three matches over the last five weeks and that’s a distinct advantage.

If they can raise their game and beat Cody’s side then, fair enough, they’ll be trying full tilt, but there won’t be much crying done if they go down with ambitions still intact; something in the region of a two- or three-point loss would do.

Wexford v Cork

It will be knockout for sure in Wexford Park on Saturday when the Yellow Bellies welcome Cork in a do-or-die contest for both teams and, in all probability, both managers. This game is simply huge and the winner would take an overdose of momentum into the following weekend. While most people are looking to JBM and Cork to deliver, Wexford are a serious team at home and with their backs to the wall. That’s the situation they find themselves in. If they can get the crucial good start, the one that quickly banishes the memories of Nowlan Park, they can ride that to the finish line. This could be the game of the weekend, with the fact that the loser goes home for good almost superseding the provincial finals a day later.

Clare, Limerick and Dublin (after a decent fright) should progress with varying levels of discomfort, but Cork will have a battle on their hands. In recent times their record in such encounters is not good. Saturday night is a crossroads for one of them. Whoever emerges from Wexford Park will be a player; the other an also-ran. My hunch is Wexford will stand up.