Four months and one day since that league meeting, both Cork and Mayo are back facing each other today, with a major prize in front of them in the Brendan Martin Cup.

Although talk of three-in-arow is dismissed by Rebel captain Juliet Murphy, she is keen on moving forward as once again her side strive for national glory.

"We are obviously trying to look to win, but we know we have a huge task ahead of us. Mayo are a very strong side, both physically and mentally, " Murphy said. "It's going to be a tough game and if we are not right on the day there is no way we are going to win."

Cork manager Mary Collins believes that, like previous finals for her side, another tight game is in prospect.

"In 2005 we were the underdog and we felt we had nothing to lose, while last year we came up against Armagh and didn't really know a huge amount about them . . . we just had to play our own game, " Collins said.

"The games between us [and Mayo] over the last two years have been very tight. In 2005 we beat them by a point in the semi-final and last year we beat them by four points but that was a tighter game than the score reflected, so I reckon it will be very close."

Although the westerners beat Cork in the league this year, Mayo captain Christina Heffernan is not underestimating the prospect of a backlash.

"We know what Cork are like, we played them ourselves in the league and we would see most of their games anyhow because they are on TV, " Heffernan said.

"It's hard to go on that game, it was the league season and a lot of counties wouldn't take the league seriously. We have learned a lot from it but at the same time you can't read too much into it because Cork probably weren't at their best form that day.

"At the same time it gave us a bit of confidence to know that we can beat them, and it certainly will stand to us going into this final."

There has been a firm injection of new blood to this Mayo panel in the past few years, and also on the sidelines this year in the shape of new manager Frank Browne.

Heffernan welcomes the approach that he brings to the game. "Frank has brought a new dimension to our game as well. He's coming from a hurling background and he has great belief in us and our team and I think that has driven us all the way this year."

The senior final isn't the only decider in Croke Park this afternoon. The first intermediate decider to take place is at 2pm and pits last year's junior finalists Leitrim against Wexford. This competition was last contested for in 2000 when Laois beat Cork in a thrilling decider in Ballinasloe.

The junior final at 12 is also an historic pairing, with Kilkenny in their first ever final against a London side who are chasing a first title since 1993.