The final head to head

It's been a hell of a year so far for the Cork Camogie team. After failing to capture the treble in 2010 after successive All-Ireland wins in 2008 and 2009, they also fell short in 2011. Until 2010 it had been nine years since Cork had missed out on an All-Ireland final and they could only watch on as Wexford raised the O'Duffy Cup for the past two years with Galway losing out on both of those days. 2012 has been a different year, writes Louise Cashell

The deck has been reshuffled under new manager Paudie Murray and with a Division 1 title already under their belts, the Cork team are back where they want to be-Croke Park and who are they sharing the big stage with? Wexford, of course. The same team that put a stop to Cork's gallop in 2012, the same team that Cork beat in the years League final and the same team that are the only team to have defeated Cork so far this year.

Finding it hard to keep up? In plain English, these two are the best, and next Sunday one will come out on top and team captain Julia White knows only too well the challenge that lies ahead if she is to get her hands on that cup for Cork once more.

"Wexford are a very tough team. They are clean and they are physical and they have very fast forwards and that's something you always have to have your eye on in every match. They definitely try and dominate through their centre back and play the game from there on up. Everything goes through her [Mary Leacy] so we'll have to try and confine her as much as possible because I think if we do that then we will have a good shot."

Julia admits that with this match, there is the extra incentive of getting another scalp over this Wexford team, a thorn in Cork's side for some time now.

"Well we beat them in the League final this year so that has given us a huge confidence boost. We were going for the treble in 2010 when they won and now they are going for the treble this year so that's defiantly another incentive.

"We try not to think too much about that part though because we're going out to win and that's all that really matters but there's definitely a bit of a rivalry there so neither side will want to lose this match. The management are talking to us a lot though about keeping our focus. It's an All-Ireland final and a lot of players have experienced that already but we have a few younger players with us this year and the blend is fantastic-everyone is very open with each other and that's something you need.

"We're really positive about our chances in the match. We have six leaders in the team who talk to the other players and then management come to us and if there is a problem it's sorted straight away. that's the way it has been all year, everyone is very honest and open and I think that's definitely helped us to get back to the final again."

No stranger to All-Ireland finals, Julia was a member of the panel who won back-to-back titles in 2008 and 2009 and this will be her first year getting to play on the day itself and as captain, a feat which is not lost on her.

"Yea, definitely - being captain means a lot to me but there is a lot of leaders on this team, not just me. There is a lot of 17 and 18 year olds on the panel so you have a blend of youth and experience and we're all helping each other out. I'm really looking forward to it though and hopefully we'll get a good crowd behind us as well, with the younger players Sunday will be a real novelty for their clubs and family as it's their first time playing and that should add to the day.

"The county has been a bit down with the hurlers' loss and the footballers' loss to Donegal but you have ourselves and the ladies' footballers playing in both finals so it's something for everyone to be positive about."

Cork play Wexford in the All-Ireland Camogie final at 4pm on Sunday in Croke Park. The match will be televised live on RTÉ2.