John Horgan on why Cork will beat Tipp in Sunday's hurling league final on Leeside

It is only right and proper that the two counties who invested the most at the group stage of Division 1A of the league should be coming together in the final on Sunday at Supervalu Páirc Uí Chaoimh.

Cork and Tipperary, in their six group games, created most of the headlines, Tipperary winning five and losing just once to Limerick while Cork secured four victories, one draw and one loss.

That loss was suffered at the hands of Sunday's opponents and whilst one would not put this final into the revenge category, it is still an opportunity to gain the bragging rights before the two face each other again in the second round of the Round-Robin stage of the Munster championship three weeks later.

One or two columnists have suggested that the final should be played at a neutral venue, the Gaelic Grounds or Croke Park. That would have been madness given the fine home and away arrangement that the two counties have in the competition and whether it was in Cork or Thurles there was the guarantee of a capacity attendance.

A case maybe could be made for the Division 1B final between Waterford and Offaly to be separate, maybe in Nowlan Park because given the huge support that Offaly now have that game would have been very close to a sell-out at that venue.

Cork and Tipp would have sold out on its own at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh and everybody would have been happy.

But it is what it is and there is the potential for superb double-header at the Cork venue and this is one occasion for supporters to be present for both games in their entirety.

There are mixed viewpoints on how the league has gone up to now, the suggestion that for the most part, it has been underwhelming with not enough real quality games and too many of them having the issue decided long before the final whistle.

Some games did live up to expectations for this juncture in the season and Tipperary and Cork were the two standout teams in 1A. For that matter, so were Offaly in Waterford in 1B.

Given how poorly they performed in last season's Munster championship, Tipperary have probably been the story along the journey to this defining day in the secondary competition.

Team boss Liam Cahill has successfully integrated a lot of fresh blood alongside the more experienced campaigners and that has produced a very formidable balance.

The championship will pose much greater scrutiny but credit where it's due, so far, so good.

Younger hurlers like Eoghan Connolly, Robbie Doyle and Joe Caesar have impressed in defence while Ronan Maher brings a very experienced dimension at centre-back.

NEW LIFE

Sam Farrell, Oisin O'Donoghue and the outstanding Darragh McCarthy have breathed new life into the attack alongside Jake Morris and Gearoid O'Connor.

Tipperary's Darragh McCarthy has been the standout young forward in the league. Picture: INPHO/Ken Sutton

Seamus Kennedy, Jason Forde and the McGraths, John and Noel further strengthen the well-being of the squad.

Of course, every county at season's end is judged on its championship performance but there is certainly more of a feelgood factor about this current Tipp set-up than there has been for a while.

However, the general feeling is that this Cork squad is well ahead in the developmental process, will be more streetwise too when the numbers are being crunched and that this is the strongest Cork squad for years.

In attack the competition for championship starting places is intense and putting down the six on paper is no easy task.

Patrick Horgan has had a very strong league campaign, showing as well as ever for the ball and creating the space for himself and others.

Shane Barrett has been ultra-consistent and Brian Hayes has grown more and more into the jersey. He is going to be marked absent on Sunday but he will be a championship starter.

Deccie Dalton will be too and the return of Seamie Harnedy against Galway was another considerable boost.

The ability to find the net illustrates how lethal the attack can be but, at the same time, the great likelihood is that goals won't be as easy to come by in championship.

Darragh Fitzgibbon, whether at midfield or number 11, has exhibited his pace that can provide great difficulty for defenders while Tim O'Mahony has done very little wrong in the campaign.

Niall O'Leary, it could be said, has been Cork's best defender and in that department there is competition for places too. Against Galway, Sean O'Donoghue put forward his credentials while the return of Mark Coleman will add some more welcome headaches for the selectors in their selection deliberations.

In many ways this game is just perfect for Tipperary, getting into an important dress rehearsal in advance of the championship collision between the two counties, familiarisation, playing in front of a full Cork house and the logistics.

FOOTNOTE

Once the championship voyage sets sail the secondary competition fast becomes a bit of a footnote but as has been shown in recent times, winning the league can provide the momentum for what will be coming down the tracks.

Okay, it didn't work in Waterford's favour in 2022 when they failed to get out of Munster but conversely it did for Clare last season and Limerick prior to that.

This Cork bunch of players have managed to generate almost unprecedented support and the time is now upon them to lift silverware. That opportunity now presents itself as, of course, it has for Tipp who are in similar situation in their own needs.

Cork's poorest performance at the group stage was against Tipperary but one cannot expect the full deck of cards to fall your way in every game so early in the season.

It's become a cliche to suggest that on home soil a positive start that will sew seeds of doubt into the opposition can be vital.

Last Sunday we saw Kerry, fortunate enough to be in the football final, seize the opportunity against Mayo to land more silverware.

That's what Kerry teams do when they reach finals and now the Cork hurlers ae being presented with the opportunity on home turf to put down a marker that may well be of enormous benefit further on in the season.

As they say, success can breed success and it's high time that a Cork captain was on the winner's podium again. Nine times out of 10 Cork and Tipp will deliver in a final, providing a game in the finest traditions of both counties.

It would not be a mammoth surprise if Tipp prevail but as a unit, Cork appear to be more advanced, have stronger options in key areas and coming down the stretch should have the necessary artillery up front to get the job done.

Tipp are very likely to make them earn anything that they'll get but at around half five on Sunday Cork will be league champions.

And that will certainly do for starters.

Verdict: Cork by five points

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