The transformation of Tipperary in the last 12 months has been remarkable.
In 2024 they failed to win a game in the Munster Championship and finished bottom of the table. There were some strong statements from players and management suggesting that season was not good enough to represent the Tipp jersey.
Their league form was certainly encouraging this winter, and the Premier County were building momentum until a championship meeting with Sunday’s opponents saw Cork winning comfortably against their opponents, who were reduced to 14 men.
But there were plenty of positives with Liam Cahill’s men collecting two wins and a draw from four games.
Their semi- final stories had divergent narratives as well.
Cork routed Dublin, scoring seven goals in a blistering performance that can only be described as ruthless and we had some controversy in the second semi-final with the scoreboard shenanigans at Croke Park.
If Tipperary could take any silver linings from Cork’s performance in the last four it will surely be that Dublin managed to score 2-21 themselves.
That will make comforting reading for a forward line boasting Jason Forde, Andrew Ormond and Jake Morris – and certainly give them hope they would be able to surpass that level of scoring.
The more difficult part will be keeping a lid on a Cork forward line that are firing on all cylinders but they can also score from all over the park.
The focus will be on their sensational full forward line of Alan Connolly (3-2), Brian Hayes (2-1) and Patrick Horgan (0-8) who accounted for a combined five goals and 11 points in the semi-final but equally as dangerous are the industrious midfield pairing of Tim O’Mahony, who netted twice against Dublin, and Darragh Fitzgibbon (0-3).
The supply of quality ball from Cork’s midfield to their explosive inside forwards really was Dublin’s undoing and if Tipperary want to give Robert Doyle, Eoghan Connolly and Mikey Breen any chance at containment in the Tipperary rear-guard, they must pressurise the Cork delivery.