Experienced Cork chasing record four-in-a-row at Tipp’s expense
The strength of the game in the county can be gauged by the fact that the champions have had to field new teams for each campaign.
Several of this team have won provincial and All-Ireland medals in 2004 at this level and are going to be very difficult to dethrone.
Having won two of the provincial hurling titles already this year, Cork will be looking to make it a hat-trick of wins, all at Tipp’s expense.
After an impressive first-round win over Limerick, Tipp were pushed all the way by an experienced Waterford side in the semi-final.
Joe Dixon is back on the Tipperary team having missed the semi through injury and he will join an already formidable forward line which includes Shane Sweeney, William Keogh and Ronan O’Brien.
Defensively, the Premier County are very strong with Paul Shanahan a very dependable full back, while outside him Colin Everard won’t be easily beaten.
Cork’s team is very experienced. Goalkeeper Anthony Nash is a senior panellist, as is midfielder Kevin Hartnett; centre back Darragh McSweeney had a few outings with the seniors also, while Maurice O’Sullivan played a key role for the U21 team in their midweek semi-final win over Waterford.
The champions’ defence has a very mature look, with all players having medals at this level.
All but Michael O’Callaghan out of the starting 15 have tasted success in the grade.
It’s hard to see the Tipp forwards getting any change from this Cork defence where Will Twomey, Brendan Lombard and Vincent Hurley all have senior experience. O’Sullivan, who helped himself to six points — all from frees — against Waterford on Wednesday night, will punish any indiscretion by the Tipp backs while Rory O’Dwyer, captain John Russell and Rory Doherty have tremendous pace.
Early arrivals to Páirc Uí Chaoimh should see a keenly-contested final with the home side getting the vote.
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