Galway have better balance

Tomorrow's All-Ireland under-21 hurling final at Thurles is an eagerly-awaited clash between Cork and Galway, who have a detailed under-age history between them in recent years - minor championship in 1994 and '95 and last year's semi-final at this grade, which was won by Galway, who went on to defeat Wexford comprehensively in the final.

Cork top the roll of honour in this grade, but haven't won it since 1988. In the climate of slow rehabilitation at present underway in the county, victory would provide some sort of a sign of better things to come. Given the minor win of two years ago, there's also expectation in the air that the current cohort will win an under-21 this or next year.

Neither team learned an awful lot from the semi-finals, although Cork were better served by getting the best part of a match from Wexford. Galway's eight-goal romp against Derry prompted little more than hand-wringing and head-shaking around the country.

Cork's ultimately comfortable win in Dungarvan proved the robust efficacy of their defence but posed questions about both centrefield and the attack.

For Galway, Kevin Broderick's injury has commanded most attention. Whether he is fit or not will have a big impact on their attacking potential, but the team is strong around the pitch and in the full forward line can name other seniors, Alan Kerins and Eugene Cloonan who kept goal for last year's successful under-21s but has since given a good account of himself against none other than Brian Lohan in Athenry's victory in the All-Ireland club final.

A crucial confrontation will be that between Cork senior Joe Deane and Greg Kennedy who curbed him well in last year's semi-final. Cork's defence, backboned by Diarmuid O'Sullivan and Dan Murphy, has been excellent and have every chance of curbing Galway's celebrity forwards.

However, Cork may find scores harder to obtain than the better balanced-looking Galway.