Cork v Tipperary:THE HOODOO that haunted Tipperary when they last came to Cork for a championship match was cleared two years ago, but it's striking how easily the Munster champions have slipped into the favourites' mantle now that the 85-year record is gone.
The life raft for Cork’s ambitions is the extent to which they can raise their game. Last year, despite only coming together a few weeks before the match in Thurles, they scared the life out of Tipp. This time it should be better?
Unfortunately for Denis Walsh and his team, time doesn’t stand still. Whereas Cork have struggled and largely failed to find new infusions for a team in need of reviving, Tipp have been able to pipe in a couple more promising young hurlers and even take a punt on Brian O’Meara.
Conversely, Cork have been trying to get Aisake Ó hAilpín back on the track of improvement, but the league hasn’t been great for him apart from a good spell on Pádraic Maher, but Tipp have ready-made options at full back.
Liam Sheedy finessed his defence for last year’s All-Ireland semi-finals and the addition of Michael Cahill at wing back, allowing Brendan Maher to centrefield, hasn’t weakened them. It’s hard to see where Cork can make the incisions.
In defence, Cork have quality players with John Gardiner outstanding during the league and Shane O’Neill in the final, but again injury means Eoin Cadogan is severely short of match practice and Seán Ó hAilpín’s travails with form have been well-documented.
Tipperary have been moving forward impressively since the meeting of two years ago.
It’s not at all apparent the home team has even managed to resist decline over the same period.
CORK: D Cusack; S O’Neill, E Cadogan, B Murphy; J Gardiner, R Curran, S Óg Ó hAilpín; T Kenny, C Naughton; B O’Connor, J O’Connor, N McCarthy; K Murphy (Sarsfields), A Ó hAilpín, P Horgan.
TIPPERARY: B Cummins; P Stapleton, P Maher, P Curran; D Fanning, C O’Mahony, M Cahill; S McGrath, B Maher; N McGrath, S Callanan, J O’Brien; E Kelly, B O’Meara, L Corbett.
Referee: Barry Kelly (Westmeath).
In the last episode: This is the seventh match between them in successive championships and the record is level with one qualifier and two Munster wins each.
Tipp won the past three summer ties including last year’s tight win over opponents who had only come together late in the league after resolving a protracted dispute with the county board.
You bet: Cork are 6/4, Tipperary 4/6 and 9/1 the draw.
On your marks: Brian Murphy is accepted as a corner back who does well on Eoin Kelly. Statistics indicate this has been often about damage limitation rather than shut-outs, which would be an unreasonable standard for anyone marking the Tipp captain. But with the exception of the 2006 Munster final when he held Kelly to a point from play the returns have always hovered around the four or five points on top of the dead-ball tally.
Gaining ground: Two years ago Tipp recorded a first win at Páirc Uí Chaoimh since the 1922 championship although the match was played in 1923. This record covered just eight championship meetings, one drawn (1991) and one abandoned (1926) so Cork's stranglehold translated into a less psychologically daunting six wins in 85 years, as for a long time Limerick was used as a neutral venue for this fixture.
Just the ticket: Stand tickets are sold out. Terrace tickets (€20) available from county boards in the respective counties today and in Cork tomorrow at sale points outside the match-day barriers. Extra time in event of draw.
Crystal gazing: Cork will raise their game, but unless Tipperary's evolution has gone into reverse, the champions have to win.
