Focused Tipp have the ability to bridge the gap
CORK v TIPPERARY
Gaelic Grounds, Limerick
Sunday 26th August
Throw-in @ 5.30pm (E.T.)
Referee: John Keenan (Wicklow)
Redemption or Revenge!
Tipperary will be looking for their own bit of R&R when they come face to face with Cork for the second time in seven weeks in this Sunday’s All Ireland Under 21 Hurling final.
However, it is neither of those things for Tipperary. What happened in Pairc Ui Chaoimh last month is in the past and the lessons have been learned.
Thirteen points might have separated the sides in the Munster final but this Sunday the game starts out zero-zero. It’s an All Ireland final and that brings with it its own pressure.
Cork are worthy favourites, not only off the back of the win over Tipperary last time out, but also in their crushing win over Wexford in the All Ireland semi-final. They are a side full of pace and running and if given space they will batter any side.
But that favouritism also brings its own level of pressure. No Cork side has won one of the big three All Ireland hurling titles since 2005 when the seniors completed a two in a row and that is something that is weighing heavily on Leeside. It’s now twenty years since they won an All Ireland at under 21 level and they would love nothing more to bring that run to an end in the last final in the grade before it reverts to under 20.
Tipp, the very first winners of the under 21 championship would like to round it off with a tenth title, and to do so Tipp must ensure they are still in the game at half time to add even more pressure on a Cork side who are only human and some players will come in a little soft knowing how easy they had it against Tipperary on July 4th last.
This is a good Tipperary team, what we saw in Pairc Ui Chaoimh last month was an aberration. However, this doesn’t mean they will be victorious on Sunday but to do so they have to be a lot more competitive and that won’t be hard not to be considering how poor they were that night.
To read more, pick up a copy of this weeks Nenagh Guardian locally or subscribe to our e-paper to access it online each Wednesday.