Two key battles in tomorrow's Munster U21 football final between Cork and Tipp

A few key tussles could swing what should be a finely-balanced decider.

The Midfield Sector

This evening’s pairing included, Cork boss Sean Hayes has experimented with six different players at midfield over their three games. Neither Darragh nor Andrew Murphy lasted the hour against Limerick and both have since failed to reclaim the number eight and nine jerseys.

Peter Kelleher and Dan O’Callaghan hardly put a foot wrong against Kerry, but with Kelleher returned to full-forward, Nemo’s Alan O’Donovan links up with O’Callaghan. Such chopping and changing doesn’t bode well when you consider the Rebels are about to run full force into a Tipperary pair most comfortable with each other.

Steven O’Brien and Liam Casey have toiled together throughout the spring with O’Brien starting six league games for the seniors, while Casey started three and was introduced in two more. Familiarity could prove key.

Jason Lonergan v Cian Kiely

Introduced as a sub in both outings en-route to the final, Kiely has been selected at left half-back here. Sits among the more inexperienced members of this Cork team given he is just one of two players, Sean O’Donoghue the other, straight off the minor carousel.

This evening he is charged with operating a tight leash on Jason Lonergan, the 21-year old featuring in his third Munster U21 final. Lonergan kicked five points from play in the semi-final and has also been on the mark for the Tipp seniors this spring. Big ask for the Ballincollig teenager.