Cork have the edge

Munster Under-21 HC/Cork v Tipperary: There shouldn't be anything particularly novel about this evening's Munster under-21 hurling final involving Cork and Tipperary.

Between them they have collected all but eight of the 39 titles won since 1964. Except this year they could both claim to have a score to settle.

For each of the past three years they have both suffered narrow defeats by Limerick, who in conquering Munster at under-21 level also gained the momentum to collect three successive All-Ireland titles. So with Limerick now out of the way comes the opportunity to amend for those lost years.

Defeating Limerick in the semi-final earlier this month were Cork, who last won the Munster title in 1998. For manager Seanie O'Gorman the focus immediately shifted to Tipperary.

"I suppose the big difference is that we were five months preparing for that Limerick game, and then we had two weeks to get ready for Tipperary," said O'Gorman. "We haven't played Tipperary too much at this level in recent years beyond a few challenge matches. So we wouldn't know a whole lot about them, except of course we know all about their main threat Eoin Kelly."

While Kelly's presence is certain to dominate the Tipperary forward line, Cork also have their main threat at the other end in Setanta Ó hAilpín. He is one of six Cork seniors on the under-21 panel, though only John Gardiner has also been starting with the senior team this season. Yet others like Kieran Murphy of Sarsfields, Brian Murphy and Paul Tierney are knocking on the door of a senior start.

Clearly the first challenge for Cork in winning back the Munster title was getting past Limerick. "They had actually beaten us three years on the trot," admits O'Gorman. "I'd say we were considered unlucky to lose one or two of those, so there was a certain amount of pressure on us to win this year."

O'Gorman has little doubt this Cork team have the maturity and experience to win. Though it's only his second year in charge, he has seen the majority of players come through from the All-Ireland minor final of three years ago (which they lost to Galway) and also the team that won the final the year after.

The problem, of course, is that Tipperary have the maturity and experience to match that. As well as Kelly, Martin Maher and John Devane have featured prominently in the senior team this season, and their manager Seamus Power is equally intent on bringing the title back to Tipperary for the first time since 1999.

"We should at least get a very good game," says O'Gorman. "Because teams wouldn't be as familiar with each other as senior level I think games are a lot more open. They give it everything at this level. I've found our lads anyway to be very committed."

Cork will start as marginal favourites and if they move up another gear they should also have the firepower to beat Tipperary.

CORK (Under-21 hurling v Tipperary): M Coleman; S Murphy, G O'Brien, B Murphy; G Callinan, J Gardiner, C O'Connor; P Tierney, K Hartnett; S O'Sullivan, Kieran Murphy (Erins Own), F Murphy; S Ó hAilpín, D O'Riordan, K Murphy (Sarsfields).

TIPPERARY (Under-21 hurling v Cork): V Doheny: E Buckley, J Devane, M Phelan; M Maher, D Fitzgerald, H Moloney; E Ryan, P Buckley; T Scroope, F Devanney, M Farrell; E Kelly, J O'Brien, R O'Brien.