Medals on the line: what price experience on the biggest day of them all?

To grasp just how novel this upcoming All-Ireland final will be, you need only look at the sideline and the profile of the two selectorial teams compared to who was there last year, writes Kieran Shannon.

Last September, Brian Cody was once again spitting into his hands and rubbing them, stalking out his 12th All Ireland senior title as a manager to go with the three he’d won as a player. Alongside him were James McGarry and Derek Lyng, who’d won six apiece under him as players, as well as being by his side for the previous two All-Ireland triumphs as selectors.

Further down the touchline, the Tipperary management couldn’t quite make as loud a jangling sound when it came to shuffling the pockets for Celtic Crosses. Michael Ryan won one in his debut season of 1991. Conor Stakelum won one coming on as a sub in the final. John Madden was a non-playing sub the same year, and in 1989 as well. Completing the management team was Declan Fanning, a starting member of the 2010 victorious side with whom Ryan was a selector.