Derry Foley remarked during the week that Tipperary footballers were in a "dream situation", facing the All-Ireland champions in a Munster final on a home pitch. Indeed, there is a certain romantic notion about Tipperary reaching a provincial football final - but this is the third time they've done so this decade, and the latest route has been drafted by dint of hard graft on the training ground.

Tomorrow's Munster football final is a big occasion for Tipperary. They've elbowed aside Limerick, Waterford and Clare en route to the final - by contrast, Kerry only had to hurdle over Cork - and the whispers that first emanated in early summer have proven to be correct: Tipperary have finally arrived as genuine championship contenders, and the role of Colm Browne, the Laoisman managing them, has been significant in this rise.

Yet, it is another Browne who has caused most havoc in opposing ranks. Declan Browne is the jewel in the crown of a talented forward unit which also boasts Peter Lambert and Brendan Cummins and if Tipperary are to have any hope of upsetting Kerry, then he will have to do what he has done all through the campaign - lead his marker a merry dance and grab the scores. Tomorrow, Kerry have chosen to bring in Eamon Fitzmaurice, a member of their All-Ireland under-21 winning team earlier this year, to mark Browne.

In fact, the two men with the number 15 on their backs promise to be highly influential figures. Kerry without Maurice Fitzgerald simply aren't the same team, but his return to fitness means the All-Ireland champions have their primary marksman back to lead the way - and when Fitzgerald is on song, so too, generally, are Kerry. Kerry won't have an easy time, however. Tipperary have improved with each game and will match the visitors for physique, with Foley and Sean Maher strong and mobile enough to match almost any midfield pairing. Certainly, Browne in attack is a footballing artist who'd walk on to any team in the country.

Yet, Kerry have been through this so often in the past that it is hard to believe they will slip up this time.

Kerry: D O'Keeffe; E Fitzmaurice, B O'Shea, S Stack; S Moynihan, L O'Flaherty, E Breen; D O Se, D Daly; P Laide, D O Cinneide, D O'Dwyer; M F Russell, J Crowley, M Fitzgerald.

Tipperary: AN Other; N Kelly, C O'Dwyer, L Cronin; B Hahessy, M Sheehan, S Collum; D Foley, S Maher; M Spillane, B Burke, B Cummins; P Lambert, D Hogan, D Browne.