Cork v Tipperary: How chaos and calm decide All-Ireland hurling finals

All-Ireland finals hinge on chaos, clarity and character. For Cork and Tipperary, the next moment could mean everything

At half-time in the 2001 All-Ireland final against Galway, Tipperary's Tommy Dunne spoke up, telling his teammates "I have been beaten all my life. I am not getting beat today." Pic: Damien Eagers/Sportsfile

In the cauldron that is Croke Park on All-Ireland final day, there comes a time everything can tilt. The crunch. When the decibels peak and the walls start to close in and the sliver of space that separates a winner from a loser reveals itself.

“Around now, you think back on your own playing days,” says Tipperary legend Tommy Dunne, an All-Ireland winning player and coach.