Tipp and Cats set to dominate for years?

THE final instalment of the trilogy takes place in Croke Park tomorrow afternoon and it’s a safe bet the level of anticipation probably outstrips the last time the same pairing contested the All-Ireland SHC final three years running.

On November 12, 1905 on Jones Road, Cork and London squared off for the third consecutive year, and similar to tomorrow’s showdown, the score stood at one title apiece from the previous two seasons. That the teams were contesting the 1903 decider hints at the scheduling difficulties that ensued in those days yet it was Cork who rounded off that trilogy on a triumphant note. A thumping 3-16 to 1-1 win, since you’re asking.

That it’s taken over a century for another trilogy of consecutive finals illustrates both the difficulty in achieving that level of consistency and the chasm that exists between tomorrow’s protagonists and the rest of the counties in the Liam MacCarthy Cup race.