It's a rivalry that extends back to 1889 when Cork and Kerry met for the first time in the championship in Mallow and 118 years later they're set for their biggest clash in history when they meet in the Bank of Ireland football championship final in Croke Park. Meath referee, David Coldrick will referee what will be the second same-province final in four years, following Armagh v Tyrone in 2003. Cork v Kerry has always been one of the great rivalries in Gaelic football but it has intensified since the introduction of the All-Ireland qualifiers in 2001 and has resulted in three meetings between the sides in All-Ireland semi-finals (2002-2005-2006), followed by this year's historic clash in the final. Kerry won all three semi-finals. It will be the 13th championship meeting between the counties this decade and the 5th since the start of last year's campaign. They met three times last year with the score standing at 1-1 each with one draw while Kerry beat Cork by two points in this year's Munster final. PATHS TO THE FINAL CORK Cork 2-14 Limerick 0-7 (Munster quarter-final) Cork 2-18 Tipperary 0-10 (Munster semi-final) Kerry 1-15 Cork 1-13 (Munster final) Cork 0-16 Louth 0-14 (Qualifier - Round 3) Cork 1-11 Sligo 0-8 (All-Ireland quarter-final) Cork 1-16 Meath 0-9 (All-Ireland semi-final) Average For: 1-15; Average Against: 0-11 Cork Scorers James Masters...............3-27 Donncha O'Connor.......1-21 Pearse O'Neill................1-10 Kevin McMahon...........0-6 Nicholas Murphy..........0-4 John Miskella...............1-1 Derek Kavanagh...........0-3 Conor McCarthy..........0-3 Daniel Goulding...........0-3 Noel O'Leary...............1-0 Fintan Goold................0-2 Michael Cussen............0-2 Kieran O'Connor........0-2 Kevin O'Sullivan.........0-2 Ger Spillane.................0-1 Michael Shields............0-1 KERRY Kerry 2-15 Waterford 0-4 (Munster semi-final); Kerry 1-15 Cork 1-13 (Munster final) Kerry 1-12 Monaghan 1-11 (All-Ireland quarter-final) Kerry 1-15 Dublin 0-16 (All-Ireland semi-final) Average For: 1-15; Average Against: 0-12 Kerry Scorers Colm Cooper...............1-13 Mike Frank Russell....0-11 Declan O'Sullivan......2-7 Eoin Brosnan..............2-6 Bryan Sheehan...........0-5 Paul Galvin.................0-3 Tomas O Se................0-3 Kieran Donaghy.........0-2 Paul O'Connor...........0-2 Sean O'Sullivan.........0-2 Marc O Se..................0-1 Killian Young............0-1 Sean O'Sullivan........0-1 LAST TEN CHAMPIONSHIP CLASHES 2007 - Kerry 1-15 Cork 1-13 (Munster final) 2006 - Kerry 0-16 Cork 0-10 (All-Ireland semi-final) 2006 - Cork 1-12 Kerry 0-9 (Munster final replay) 2006 - Cork 0-10 Kerry 0-10 (Munster final) 2005 - Kerry 1-19 Cork 0-9 (All-Ireland semi-final) 2005 - Kerry 1-11 Cork 0-11 (Munster final) 2004 - Kerry 0-15 Cork 0-7 (Munster semi-final) 2002 - Kerry 3-19 Cork 2-7 (All-Ireland semi-final) 2002 - Cork 0-15 Kerry 1-9 (Munster semi-final replay) 2002 - Cork 0-8 Kerry 0-8 (Munster semi-final) Kerry 6, Cork 2, Draws 2. LAST CLASH: Kerry 1-15 Cork 1-13 (2007 Munster final) Kerry held on against a driving Cork finish to win the Munster title in Killarney on July 1 last. Cork led by 0-9 to 0-7 at half-time after playing with the wind but Kerry quickly asserted themselves and opened a six point lead in the second half before Cork battled back to draw level with six minutes remaining. However, points by Kieran Donaghy and sub Sean O'Sullivan clinched a Kerry win. Scorers: Kerry: MF Russell 0-6 (0-5 frees), C Cooper 1-2; Declan O'Sullivan 0-3, K Donaghy 0-2, E Brosnan 0-1, S O'Sullivan 0-1. Cork: D O'Connor 1-4 (0-4 frees), J Masters 0-4 (0-2 frees, 0-1 sideline), M Cussen 0-2, P O'Neill 0-1, K McMahon 0-1, N Murphy 0-1. Kerry: D Murphy; P Reidy, T O'Sullivan, M O Se; T O Se, A O'Mahony, K Young; D O Se, M Quirke; Declan O'Sullivan, E Brosnan, P Galvin; C Cooper, K Donaghy, MF Russell. Subs: S O'Sullivan for Galvin; Darren O'Sullivan for Brosnan, T Griffin for Quirke, B Sheehan for Declan O'Sullivan. Cork: P O'Shea; M Shields, G Canty, K O'Connor; N O'Leary, G Spillane, A Lynch; D Kavanagh, N Murphy; F Goold, P O'Neill, K McMahon; J Masters, M Cussen, D O'Connor. Subs: J Miskella for Goold, C McCarthy for Lynch. ALL-IRELAND SF FINAL WINS Kerry 34 (1903-04-09-13-14-24-26-29-30-31-32-37-39-40-41-46-53-55-59-62-69-70-75-78-79-80-81-84-85-86-97-2000-2004-2006) Cork 6 (1890-1911-45-73-89-90) ALL-IRELAND FINAL DEFEATS Kerry: 17 (1892-1905-15-23-27-38-44-47-60-64-65-68-72-76-82-2002-2005) Cork: 13 (1891-93-97-99-1906-07-56-57-67-87-88-93-99) ALL-IRELAND ROLL OF HONOUR Will Kerry clinch their 35th Bank of Ireland senior football title and move thirteen clear of nearest rivals, Dublin? Or will Cork win their 7th title and join Meath in joint third place behind Kerry, Dublin and Galway. Nineteen counties have won the All-Ireland senior football title leaving the following still chasing their first crown: Antrim, Fermanagh, Monaghan, Sligo, Leitrim, Clare, Waterford, Carlow, Laois, Longford, Westmeath, Wicklow, Kilkenny. 34 - KERRY (1903-04-09-13-14-24-26-29-30-31-32-37-39-40-41-46-53-55-59-62-69-70-75-78-79-80-81-84-85-86-97-2000-2004-2006) 22 - Dublin (1891-92-97-98-99-1901-02-06-07-08-21-22-23-42-58-63-74-76-77-83-95) 9 - Galway (1925-34-38-56-64-65-66-98-2001) 7 - Meath (1949-54-67-87-88-96-99) 6 - CORK (1890-1911-45-73-89-90) 5 - Down (1960-61-68-91-94) 5 - Cavan (1933-35-47-48-52) 5 - Wexford (1893-1915-16-17-18) 4 - Kildare (1905-19-27-28) 4- Tipperary (1889-95-1900-1920) 3 - Louth (1910-12-57) 3 - Mayo (1936-50-51) 3 - Offaly (1971-72-82) 2 - Limerick (1887-1896) 2 - Roscommon (1943-44) 2- Tyrone (2003-2005) 1 - Armagh (2002) 1 - Derry (1993) 1 - Donegal (1992) BANK OF IRELAND FINAL SHORTS *Kerry are bidding to become the first side since Cork in 1990 to retain the All-Ireland football title. *The Cork team that retained the All-Ireland title in 1990 was managed by Billy Morgan who is again at the helm for what will be his seventh final as a manager, having previously been in charge in 1987 (lost to Meath), 1988 (drew and lost to Meath), 1989 (beat Mayo), 1990 (beat Meath) and 1993 (lost to Derry). Previously, he played in two All-Ireland finals, losing against Meath in 1967 and winning against Galway in 1973. *Kerry midfielder, Darragh O Se is seeking his 5th All-Ireland senior medal, having previously won in 1997-2000-2004-2006. He is the only member of the Kerry panel who was on the 1997 team that beat Mayo in the final. *Cork are bidding for their first All-Ireland football title since 1990 and for their seventh in all. They last appeared in the final in 1999 where they lost to Meath. *Kerry are bidding for their 35th title which, if successful, would put them 13 clear of second placed Dublin. *Cork are seeking to emulate Galway (2001), Tyrone (2005) and Kerry (2006) by winning the title via the qualifiers, having already lost in the provinces. BANK OF IRELAND SFC 2007 - RESULTS & FIXTURES LEINSTER May 13: First round: Longford 2-13 Westmeath 1-13, Pearse Park. May 20: First round: Louth 1-11 Wicklow 0-14; Meath 2-11 Kildare 1-8 (Both in Croke Park. May 27: Replay: Louth 1-9 Wicklow 0-12, Parnell Park. June 2: Quarter-final: Laois 0-14 v Longford 0-9, Tullamore. June 3: First round 2nd replay: Louth 2-18 Wicklow 0-11, Croke Park; Quarter-final: Dublin 1-11 Meath 0-14, Croke Park. June 10: Quarter-final: Offaly 2-19 Carlow 3-7, Portlaoise. June 17: Quarter-finals: Wexford 0-16 Louth 2-8, Croke Park: Replay: Dublin 0-16 Meath 0-12, Croke Park. June 24: Semi-final: Dublin 1-12 Offaly 0-10, Croke Park. July 1: Semi-final: Laois 1-13 Wexford 0-13, Croke Park. July 15: Final: Dublin 3-14 Laois 1-14, Croke Park. ULSTER May 13: Preliminary Round: Cavan 2-11 Down 3-8, Kingspan Breffni Park. May 20 (Replay): Down 0-15 Cavan 0-11, Newry. May 20: Quarter-final: Tyrone 0-13 Fermanagh 1-9, Clones. May 27: Quarter-final: Donegal 1-9 Armagh 1-8, Ballybofey June 3: Quarter-final: Antrim v Derry, Casement Park (postponed due to waterlogging) June 10: Quarter-finals: Monaghan 2-15 Down 1-15, Newry; Derry 1-13 Antrim 0-10, Casement Park. June 17: Semi-final: Tyrone 2-15 Donegal 1-7, Clones. June 24: Semi-final: Monaghan 0-14 Derry 1-9, Casement Park. July 15: Final: Tyrone 1-15 Monaghan 1-13, Clones. CONNACHT May 13: Quarter-final: Sligo 2-18 New York 1-3, Gaelic Park, New York. May 20: Quarter-final: Galway 2-10 Mayo 0-9, Pearse Stadium. May 27: Leitrim 1-12 London 2-5 Ruislip. June 17: Semi-final: Sligo 0-13 Roscommon 2-5, Dr.Hyde Park. June 24: Semi-final: Galway 0-17 Leitrim 1-10, Carrick-on-Shannon. July 8: Final: Sligo 1-10 Galway 0-12, Dr.Hyde Park. MUNSTER May 20: Quarter-finals: Waterford 1-6 Clare 0-7, Dungarvan; Cork 2-14 Limerick 0-7, Pairc Ui Chaoimh. June 3: Semi-finals: Kerry 2-15 Waterford 0-4, Dungarvan; Cork 2-18 Tipperary 0-10, Gaelic Grounds. July 1: Final: Kerry 1-15 Cork 1-13, Killarney. BANK OF IRELAND SFC QUALIFIERS July 7 - Round 1: Louth 0-14 Limerick 0-13 Gaelic Grounds: Donegal 1-16 Leitrim 1-14, Carrick-on-Shannon (after extra-time); Mayo 1-19 Cavan 3-7, Castlebar; Meath 1-10 Down 0-8, Newry; Kildare 2-13 Roscommon 1-13, Dr, Hyde Park; Westmeath 0-18 Longford 0-9, Mullingar. July 8: Fermanagh 1-12 Wexford 1-8, Clones; Derry 0-10 Armagh 0-9, Clones. July 14: Round 2: Louth 1-16 Kildare 1-10, Newbridge; Derry 2-13 Mayo 1-6, Celtic Park; Donegal 1-13 Westmeath 1-8, Mullingar; Meath 0-11 Fermanagh 0-9, Navan. July 21: Round 3: Cork 0-16 Louth 0-14, Portlaoise; Meath 2-14 Galway 1-14, Portlaoise). July 28: Round 3: Monaghan 2-12 Donegal 1-7, Omagh; Derry 1-18 Laois 2-11, Kingspan Breffni Park. ALL-IRELAND CHAMPIONSHIPS Aug 4: All-Ireland quarter-finals: Cork 1-11 Sligo 0-8; Meath 1-13 Tyrone 2-8(Both in Croke Park. Aug 11: All-Ireland quarter-final: Dublin 0-18 Derry 0-15, Croke Park. Aug 12: All-Ireland quarter-final: Kerry 1-12 Monaghan 1-11 Croke Park. Aug 19: All-Ireland semi-final: Cork 1-16 Meath 0-9, Croke Park. Aug 26: All-Ireland semi-final: Kerry 1-15 Dublin 0-16, Croke Park. Sept 9: All-Ireland final: Cork v Kerry, Croke Park, 3.30. END Tweet

Most Read Stories