KERRY are up against it this Saturday. Yes there's reasons to be confident – a certain amount of experience, a strong midfield pairing and a forward line of serious potential – but there's arguably more reasons to be fearful.

They are, after all, playing the reigning All Ireland champions. That there is a solid core of quality and experience running through the Cork U-21 team is beyond dispute.

Midfield, for instance, is likely to remain intact from last year, with Valley Rovers' Chris O'Donovan and Tadgh MacCarthaigh's Kevin O'Driscoll renewing a partnership that was in place for all five championship outings in 2009.

Their familiarity with each other's play should be an asset in itself at this stage. O'Donovan won an All-Ireland junior medal as well in 2009 when Aidan Walsh and Ciaran Sheehan were involved with Mossie Barrett's junior team up to the Munster final.

Kanturk's Walsh was drafted on to Conor Counihan's senior squad after that, coming on a substitute in the Munster final win over Limerick, and he played his first full game at the top level in the National League against Monaghan a few weeks ago.

However, Walsh is struggling with a hamstring injury and Cork manager John Cleary rates him as "doubtful" to be fit for Saturday.

If fit he would be Cork's defensive mainstay on Saturday from centre back with Ballincollig's Liam Jennings, who donned the No. 7 to good effect in last year's All-Ireland final, as one of his wing-backs.

It seemed as if Ciaran Sheehan might be lost to Leeside GAA after receiving an Aussie Rules trial last year, which caused him to miss out on Cork's junior All-Ireland triumph. But he is now back in the fold, and – one of the chief architects of Cork's scintillating U-21 win over Kerry 12 months ago, and a key figure during the Rebels subsequent march to the top – the general perception is that the gifted attacker will also figure in Conor Counihan's plans this summer.

As with Aidan Walsh, Eire Óg starlet Sheehan is rated as a magnificent prospect. And, like Walsh, he is only in his second year out of minor ranks, So too are Castlehaven's Mark Collins and Bishopstown's Paul Honohan, both of whom also lined out in last year's All-Ireland U-21 final victory over Down.

All of which serves to underline the richness of Cork's attacking potential and suggests that the Kerry rearguard could be in for a very testing time.

That's not to say they won't be able to come through this test – Paudge O'Connor, Brian McGuire, Barry Shanahan and Jonathan Lyne are all fine defenders. O'Connor, one suspects, will be given the difficult task of keeping tabs on Ciaran Sheehan. Sheehan will score, there's no doubt about that, but it's how much he scores that will likely decide this contest.

Cork may have an experienced midfield partnership, but with Johnny Buckley (who lest we forget also has an U-21 All Ireland winners medal in his back pocket) in magnificent form and with the ever improving Colm 'Benny' Moriarty beside him Kerry could well win this particular battle and on home soil one would expect them to, perhaps, just edge it.

If they do then Kerry have the forwards to shoot down what is, admittedly, an impressive Rebel rearguard. Kerry's full-foward line just oozes class – Barry John Walsh at full will act as target man and with Paul Geaney and Patrick Curtin either side of him points and goals should be forthcoming – if they get enough ball.

Kerry's half-forward line are no slouches either – any line that contains the mercurial ability of James O'Donoghue must be respected – but the absence of JB Spillane from the Kerry panel will be most keenly felt here. In his absence the pressure will be on the Kerry half-forward line to win breaking ball – with him on board Kerry could have been assured.

While the smart money may be on Cork to march on don't be surprised if the Kingdom triumph.

Verdict: Kerry

- Damian Stack & Noel Horgan