BLUEPRINT FOR OUR SUCCESS

BY MICHAEL SCULLY CONOR Burke recalls Dublin's last Championship meeting with Cork as a missed opportunity - but one that showed the Blues that they can go toe to toe with the Rebels in Saturday's All-Ireland semi-final.

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The sides met in the quarter-finals last year, when Cork withheld a late rally by the Dubs to win by five points in Thurles.

The four added minutes were fraught enough for Pat Ryan's side, with Patrick Collins stopping a Diarmaid Ó Dúlaing shot before a Donal Burke free was blocked on the line by Niall O'Leary. It was a rare off-day for Burke in terms of missed frees and, for the men from the capital, it was a case of what might have been as Cork went on to contest the All-Ireland final.

"There was a sense of missed opportunity, it was our shooting efficiency that let us down," said Burke's namesake Conor (left). "I wouldn't pinpoint it on maybe just one individual.

"I think I myself had a 50 per cent conversion — I scored four points and I missed four. It wasn't just one person who missed shots that maybe they should have scored, or whatever the case might be.

"But that performance would give you confidence that you're able to compete and push them as far as we did even last year. So yeah, I think there was a sense of a missed opportunity on that front."

Just over 12 months on and the Dubs are on a high after dismissing the Championship favourites Limerick in the last eight, despite losing their captain, Chris Crummey, to a 15th minute red card.

It really was a performance and result for the ages from Niall Ó Ceallacháin's side, but the manager quickly re-set the bar by telling his players that it would count for nothing unless they backed it up against Cork.