Awesome Hands moving towards true greatness; VERSATILE CHAMPS CAN FIND WAY TO WIN.

Byline: Bernard Flynn 

CORK are an immensely powerful team but they are going to come up against the best team tactically that there has ever been in Croke Park tomorrow.

If Cork can get a run at Tyrone, they will win, but I can't imagine Tyrone will allow them to play that running game which destroyed Donegal.

Tyrone won't let the half-backs run up the field to score a bucket load of points, or let the midfielders come powering through.

Just watch the Cork man after he gives the ball - he will be checked, his run will be stopped, and that's why referee John Bannon is going to have a crucial role in tomorrow's semi-final.

It will be fascinating to see how Cork deal with what Tyrone are going to throw at them. Limerick almost stopped them in their tracks with a similar approach in the Munster final and they had no Plan B.

Kieran McGeeney said recently that Tyrone were the best team of the last 30 years and I'd probably have to agree.

Cork are trying to make the big breakthrough with the best squad they've had since the late eighties, but Tyrone are reaching for true greatness.

This amazing story started 10, 12 years ago with Mickey Harte and this special group of players when they won the All-Ireland minor title and went on to such great success at U21 and senior level. They are so united and it's the heartbreaks they've had that has brought them so close together.

The way they quietly handled themselves after winning last year's All-Ireland really impressed me.

If that had been Dublin or Mayo we'd still be hearing about it. But Tyrone didn't rub it in anybody's noses.

Mickey has taken a backseat, and it's just about winning trophies. That's all they dream about.

It's an incredible success story that could elevate them alongside the great Kerry team of the late 1970s/ early 80s.

They will be alongside that Kerry team if they can win four All-Irelands.

And if they beat Cork tomorrow, they will win the All-Ireland in my opinion.

Cork are not really good in these situations. They have yet to take a big scalp in Croke Park and they will have to be a five or six point better team to win by one.

Cork at this stage must be sick of being second best.

They just want an All-Ireland medal. They are the biggest underachievers in the game with the talent they have put through their hands.

But I remember playing against Conor Counihan and he is an astute guy.

He has built a powerful, athletic, running team and while Tyrone are brilliant at snapping up the breaking ball, Cork have guys to match them.

Tyrone's success has come at a price because there is age and miles on the clock.

I say this with respect, because they have won three All-Irelands, but if you go in straight lines at the Tyrone defence with pace, they are in trouble.

Winning primary possession in midfield is still a bit of a struggle and some of the forwards are not playing as well as Harte would like.

O'Neill has to be on top of his game, and along with Mulligan and Penrose, they all have to click as a unit which they haven't done since last year's All-Ireland final. In fairness though, when their backs were against the wall against Kildare the way they came out at the start of the second-half and changed their style of play to score six points on trot was the mark of champions.

Cork's confidence levels take a hit when things don't go well.

The weakest line for Cork is their full-forward line so if the half-forward line has an off-day, Tyrone will win.

The form of Kelly and Kerrigan has been superb and the majestic, marauding Miskella is a Player of the Year contender at this stage.

Graham Canty has been the leader of all leaders. He single-handedly took the game to Limerick and won that Munster title nearly all on his own.

The half-back line is a worry for Tyrone. Everything has to go really well for them to stop Cork's powerful running half-back line.

I really can't wait for tomorrow. We could really see the best of gaelic football in this game and there are so many fascinating personal battles to look forward to, such as Canty v Sean Cavanagh and Pierce O'Neill v Justin McMahon.

Who will pick up Paul Kerrigan, Patrick Kelly and Stephen O'Neill? Tyrone won't mind a guy getting the ball, but just watch how they suffocate him and force him into turnovers.

Michael Shields was badly caught out at full-back last time by Donegal's Michael Murphy and the time has come for Nicholas Murphy to deliver.

Cork don't get the scores they should in tight situations from the full-forward line but this is the kind of game when they must prove they can produce the goods on the big stage.

Cork have to take the game to Tyrone.

Tyrone will be happy to sit back, soak up the pressure and hit them on the break.

Cork have so many good players on the bench it's frightening and it will be an 18, 20 man game from both sides.

Look at the calming influence Brian McGuigan had on Tyrone when he came out at a crucial stage against Kildare.

If Cork start well they'll win and if they get their running game going, Tyrone will get blown away.

But Tyrone have something they don't even realise they have and that is greatness.

They know how to squeeze a team and win and that little bit of experience and guile that Cork don't have should drive them closer to back-to-back titles.

CAPTION(S):

GAME OF THE YEAR Ken Donnelly is hounded out by Tyrone trio Ryan McMenamin, Tommy McGuigan and Brian McGuigan and, left Justin McMahon and Pearse O'Neill clash on Ireland duty REF John Bannon will have a lot on his plate tomorrow