WHAT’S rare is wonderful, it’s been said, so let’s hope the first-ever All-Ireland SHC final between Cork and Tipperary has a fairy tale ending for the Rebels.
It’s 20 years since the Cork hurlers got their hands on the Liam MacCarthy cup, but this Sunday in Croke Park (3.30pm) presents the latest chance to end that drought.
Cork have beaten Tipperary twice already this year, in the league final (3-24 to 0-23) and the Munster SHC round-robin (4-27 to 0-24), both games in Páirc Uí Chaoimh. Tipp did win a league game between the teams in February (2-22 to 1-21 in Thurles), which does show that they are capable of beating the Rebels.
The danger for Cork is that Tipp are on a winning streak. It’s five wins-in-a-row for the Premier County since their heavy loss to Cork in Munster. In their last four games, they have conceded just three goals (one to Waterford and two against Galway).
Tipp’s eye for goals is notable – they have scored 13 in their last five games, including four against Clare and Kilkenny and three against Laois. Their full-forward line of John McGrath, Jason Forde and Darragh McCarthy have struck the net nine times between them in the championship. Andrew Ormond has also chipped in with two majors. That’s not even mentioning Oisín O’Donoghue, who has hit three goals off the bench, including a scorcher in the semi-final win over Kilkenny.
Jason Forde has converted an impressive 80 percent of his championship shots this season with John McGrath (69 percent) and Darragh McCarthy (68 percent) pretty accurate too. It will be interesting to see who marks these forwards. Seán O’Donoghue is having his best year in a Cork jersey – who will Pat Ryan assign him to? His main attribute is strength, so McGrath or Forde are the most likely jobs for the Inniscarra man.
Ciarán Joyce did a fantastic job on Cian Lynch in the Munster round-robin so could he be tasked with another playmaker? Perhaps Jake Morris, a guy who makes the Tipp team tick. Robert Downey was superb in sweeping up ball against Dublin and will need to be on form once more.
Patrick Collins’ puckouts will be huge factor, too. In the first half against Dublin, the Ballinhassig man had restarts that resulted in 2-5. It was almost as if the full-forward line were on the same wavelength. Considering the long puckout, in particular, was one aspect why Cork lost against Clare last year, the signs of improvement there are encouraging. On the other side though, Tipp’s forwards hit 2-5 in the first half off Rhys Shelly’s puckouts against Kilkenny.
Hard work was a main element of Cork’s play in the second-half of the semi-final with the Rebels scoring 3-8 off turnovers. That was when the game was perceived by many as already over so the willingness to keep going is a good sign.
Another aspect to focus on is Cork’s shooting. They may have an average of a 63 percent conversion rate per game, compared to Tipp’s 66 percent, but that jumped up to 76 percent shot accuracy against Dublin. Is this an indication that the Rebels are kicking into shooting gear at the right time?
Will history be a factor? Tipp have All-Ireland senior winners. Cork doesn't have any. Six of the Tipperary team that started their All-Ireland win against Kilkenny in 2019 are on the current panel, with a further two that came on six years ago also there today. Five players have two Celtic Crosses in John McGrath, Seamus Kennedy, Ronan Maher, Jason Forde and Michael Breen while Noel McGrath has three (2010, 2016 and 2019).
Tipp have more experience in winning All-Irelands, and there is arguably more pressure on Cork to end the 20-year wait, but the Rebels are embracing the challenge. Cork to win by three. And end the famine.
