Comeback kings not happy to Nick result; SFCSEMI-FINAL REPLAY CORK v KERRY Murphy: No late show this time..Rebels need to play for the full 70 minutes.

Byline: BY PAT NOLAN 

NICHOLAS MURPHY believes Cork have turned a corner after avoiding yet another humiliating experience at the hands of Kerry at Croke Park last Sunday.

Although the Rebels were fortunate to emerge with a draw, the fact of the matter is they avoided defeat for the first time against their great rivals at GAA headquarters having been sent packing in 2002, 2005, 2006 and last year's All-Ireland final by an average margin of 11 points.

The big midfielder has been a fixture in the Cork team for all of those games but injury meant he was only introduced as a substitute last Sunday and though he has not been named in the starting line-up for Sunday there is every chance he will line out.

On Cork's Croke Park record against the Kingdom, Murphy said: "It was always hanging over us. It is done and dusted now. It is another new game now.

"In Croke Park we just have to go out and produce a performance for 70 minutes now.

"We didn't perform for 70 minutes in the drawn game.

"It wasn't looking good. It was the way this team has gone all year. We have finished out every game to the very end.

"We proved ourselves against Limerick and we proved it again against Kerry twice.

"It is a 70-minute game and we finished it right to the end against Kerry."

However, Murphy admitted that while Cork have played their get out of jail cards already this year against Limerick and now twice against Kerry, it would be asking too much to expect them to reel in the champions once again this Sunday.

However, the flip side of Cork's late smash and grab performances this year is that the team has shown a level of spirit which perhaps has not been so prevalent in previous seasons.

Too often the white flag has been waved once Kerry opened a gap but if anything is different about Cork this year, it is the fact that they play to the final whistle.

Murphy continued: "We have a great bunch of players and a great panel.

"The Limerick game, the Kerry game in the Munster final and the All-Ireland semi-final with Kerry we have produced it when it counted most.

"But it is not worth a thing if we don't do it the next day."

And with Cork led this year by one of their heroes from the 1987 to 1995 glory era when Kerry beat them just once, Murphy pays tribute to the role manager Conor Counihan has played since he was parachuted into the job in difficult circumstances last March.

Counihan's side from yesteryear had a number of cult figures that the Cork public warmed to greatly and though the current side has yet to command that sort of affection, they have pulled out enough heroic comebacks by now to earn it.

Murphy continued: "Conor has brought that style to us. There is great character in the team.

"As I say we will battle right to the end of every game. The way we look at it we got out of jail to an extent. But Kerry still have a game in which to prove themselves.

"They will have felt they should have won the game. They will be hurting.

"There is no reason why they won't come out all guns blazing. We know we are in for a battle again."

As for his ability to take part in the battle, a call will most likely be made shortly before the game, just as it was last Sunday morning.

"It isn't too bad. On Sunday morning the physio had another look at it and said it was pretty good.

"He said you might as well try it."

We didn't perform for 70 minutes in the drawn game, it wasn't looking good.. but we have finished out every game this year to the end

CAPTION(S):

TORTURE Murphy endured a series of heavy beatings against Kerry in Croke Park; PAIN A devastated Alan Quirke can only watch Cooper celebrate his goal in last years rout