Preview: Munster U21 Final - Cork v Tipperary

Thursday, April 9

Eirgrid Munster GAA U21 Football Championship Final

Cork v Tipperary, Semple Stadium, Thurles, 7.30pm

Reigning champions Cork are on the cusp of a momentous achievement, just 60 minutes away from winning a fifth successive Munster U21 title.

It's quite a run in the competition, dating back to March 10, 2010 when the Rebels lost to Kerry in a provincial quarter-final in Tralee.

John Cleary masterminded the Rebels' 2011 and 2012 successes and Seán Hayes has maintained their pre-eminence, taking over in 2013 and adding further to an impressive collection of silverware in the grade.

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Throughout the run, Tipperary rather than Kerry have been Cork's biggest rivals, and this is the third time in a row they will meet in the final, Cork having won by 1-17 to 0-9 in 2013 and then by 1-18 to 3-8 last year.

In fact, the last team other than Cork to win the Munster U21 title was Tipperary back in 2010, when they overcame Kerry by a point to land their first-ever Munster crown in the grade, and with it striking a major blow for football in the county.

While it was a major breakthrough at the time, further success at U21 level has been slow to come for the Premier County. However, this crop, many of whom won an All-Ireland minor title in 2011, are seen by many in the county as their best chance of landing another provincial crown.

This group were Munster minor champions three years ago, beating Cork along the way in the semi-final, before losing to Mayo in the All-Ireland quarter-final.

"Tipperary beat us in the 2011 Munster final down in Killarney and they beat us again the following year up in Páirc Uí Chaoimh," recalls Cork captain Brian O'Driscoll. "They are a very hard team to beat. They are not easily beaten and if you are not at your best you won't beat them.

My Club: Brian O'Driscoll - Tadhg MacCárthaigh

"They're tough, physical, especially travelling up there to Thurles you're not going to get it easy. They have a lot of good players and I think five or six involved in their senior team which is really after improving over the last few years so we are really going to have to play well and be very tuned in, play our gameplan and play well to beat them."

Tipperary, managed by Tommy Toomey, beat Clare in their semi-final (0-15 to 0-7), but struggled to hit their stride against dogged opponents. Jason Lonergan scored five points from play to wrap up the win.

Toomey admitted on the night that they will have to improve considerably to beat Cork, but their hopes have met a succession of blows in the meantime, with John McGrath, senior hurling panelist and younger brother of Noel, ruled out with a pelvic injury. Colman Kennedy, Greg Henry, Philip Quirke and Tom Kirwan are also unavailable.

Perhaps their biggest loss, though, is another 2011 All-Ireland winner, Colin O'Riordan, the team captain and 2014 All Star nominee failing to recover from a head injury to make their starting line-up. O'Riordan suffered concussion while playing for the Tipperary senior football team against Sligo on March 29. "It's down to the medical people and we won't be putting Colin in harm's way if there's any doubt at all. We have to make sure he's looked after," says Toomey of the JK Brackens prodigy.

Colin O'Riordan scan shows up clear

Cork have made two changes from their 1-12 to 1-9 semi-final win over Kerry. Kevin Crowley is ruled out through injury, Cian Kiely and Conor Horgan come into the team and Kevin Davis drops to the bench. Influential St Finbarr's and Cork senior midfielder Ian Maguire remains sidelined with a back injury.

Involved in Cork's run since 2012, Tadhg Mac Cárthaigh's clubman Brian O'Driscoll, whose father Gene has been Cork U21 coach for the last two years, is chasing a personal four-in-a-row in the grade, but he insists that adding to his haul of medals or adding another chapter to Cork's remarkable run will be far from his mind in Thurles tonight.

"In 2012 I was a sub and it was nice to get my first medal. I got to start in 2013. We seem to be on a nice roll in Munster but you know Tipperary are a very good team and they could easily put a stop to that run," adds O'Driscoll.

"We have to be very tuned in and it is going to be a huge battle up in Thurles, and if we are not ready for it we are going to get turned over. You can't read too much into this going for five-in-a-row - if you do, you find yourself out of the championship with nothing."

Victory tonight would bring Cork's 26th title, but significantly it would put them ahead of Kerry in the roll of honour. As previously stated, Tipperary are looking to add to their solitary Munster success back in 2010.

The winners play Leinster and reigning All-Ireland champions Dublin in the All-Ireland semi-final on Saturday, April 18.

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TIPPERARY: Evan Comerford (Kilsheelan Kilcash), Kevin Fahey (Clonmel Commercials), Jimmy Feehan (Killenaule), Colm O'Shaughnessy (Ardfinnan), Ross Mulcahy (Moyle Rovers), Luke Boland (Moyle Rovers), Bill Maher (Kilsheelan Kilcash), Steven O'Brien (Ballina), Liam Casey (Cahir), Jason Lonergan (Clonmel Commercials), Ian Fahey (Clonmel Commercials), Paul Shanahan (Upperchurch Drombane), Kevin O'Halloran (Portroe), Josh Keane (Golden Kilfeacle), Paul Maher (Kilsheelan Kilcash)

CORK: Micheál Martin (Nemo Rangers), Michael McSweeney (Newcestown), Tom O'Rourke (Carbery Rangers), Stephen Cronin (Nemo Rangers), Jamie Davis (Douglas), Seán White (Clonakilty), Cian Kiely (Ballincollig), Alan O'Donovan (Nemo Rangers), Dan O'Callaghan (Clyda Rovers), Brian O'Driscoll (Tadhg MacCarthaigh), Sean O'Donoghue (Inniscarra), Darragh Murphy (Valley Rovers), Cathal Vaughan (Uibh Laoire), Peter Kelleher (Kilmichael), Conor Horgan (Nemo Rangers).

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Preview: Brian Murphy