1. Is this going to be the shootout that everybody is anticipating?
It certainly appears so. Both Cork and Tipp have been racking up massive totals in this year’s championship – but Tipp have the keener eye for a goal. Cork’s total points tally to date stands at 96, or an average of 24 per game. Cork have never dipped below 20 points and their lowest effort was 21 points against Waterford in the drawn Munster quarter-final. Tipp’s average points tally per game is 22.25 but they did dip below 20 against Limerick in the Munster semi-final defeat, when 16 white flags were raised. Since then, Tipp have hit 73 points through the back door and the umpires will be kept busy at GAA HQ.
2. How will Cork cope with Patrick ‘Bonner’ Maher?
Maher has been in scintillating form for Tipp this year and as well as creating scores for teammates, the Lorrha-Dorrha bulwark has added a real scoring touch. Cork boss Jimmy Barry-Murphy doesn’t need reminding that Clare ravaged his side at Croke Park last September with direct running. Maher has the ability to hurt Cork once he gets ball in hand but the key for Cork is to swarm Tipp’s centre forward and not allow him the green grass to run into. Cork centre back Mark Ellis has been impressive to date but this is his toughest test. And Barry-Murphy will impress upon his wing-backs and midfielders how important it is to provide Ellis with extra protection.
3. The battle for Hurler of the Year
There are contenders on both sides, with Séamus Callanan in devastating form for Tipp. The Drom & Inch hitman has notched 5-34 in four championship games and ten points against Cork, which might be out of reach, would draw him level with Antrim’s Paul Shiels on the 2014 championship top scorers list. Not surprisingly, Patrick Horgan is Cork’s leading score-getter, with 2-41 in the bag from his four games. But Tipp also have Patrick ‘Bonner’ Maher hunting for the Hurler of the Year award and another big showing from Cork’s Conor Lehane could nudge him into the frame. Ultimately, however, the destination of the individual honours won’t be decided until 7 September, with Kilkenny’s Richie Hogan the firm favourite at this point in time.
Tipp man Brendan Maher. Ryan Byrne / INPHO
Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO
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4. Can Cork cope with a five-week layoff?
The gap between Munster final and All-Ireland semi-final is one of the rocks that Limerick perished on last year. But Cork don’t have to cope with anything like the hype that gripped Limerick after their 2013 provincial win. Cork have been around the All-Ireland semi-final block in the last two seasons but this time they travel to Dublin as Munster kingpins. Tipp’s last outing was against Dublin in the All-Ireland quarter-final on July 27, just three weeks ago, and manager Eamon O’Shea will hope that will stand to his players. But with Croke Park providing a novel new environment for a meeting between these Munster heavyweights, it will take both sides a while to get up to speed.
5. Who’s going to score the crucial goals?
It was at this stage of the 2013 season when Cork finally registered their first goal championship goal. This year, the Rebels have already managed five but two of those were placed balls from Patrick Horgan in the Munster semi-final victory over Clare. Bill Cooper, Paudie O’Sullivan and Seamus Harnedy have raised green flags from open play but Cork will need at least one, if not two, goals to beat Tipp. The Premier County, meanwhile, have bagged 12 goals in four games, averaging out at three per game. Eamon O’Shea’s forwards seem to find goals easier to come by but Cork hit seven in the final three games of last year’s campaign, which were all played at Croke Park.
Talking points: Will historic Cork-Tipp shoot-out live up to its billing?
1. Is this going to be the shootout that everybody is anticipating?
It certainly appears so. Both Cork and Tipp have been racking up massive totals in this year’s championship – but Tipp have the keener eye for a goal. Cork’s total points tally to date stands at 96, or an average of 24 per game. Cork have never dipped below 20 points and their lowest effort was 21 points against Waterford in the drawn Munster quarter-final. Tipp’s average points tally per game is 22.25 but they did dip below 20 against Limerick in the Munster semi-final defeat, when 16 white flags were raised. Since then, Tipp have hit 73 points through the back door and the umpires will be kept busy at GAA HQ.
2. How will Cork cope with Patrick ‘Bonner’ Maher?
Maher has been in scintillating form for Tipp this year and as well as creating scores for teammates, the Lorrha-Dorrha bulwark has added a real scoring touch. Cork boss Jimmy Barry-Murphy doesn’t need reminding that Clare ravaged his side at Croke Park last September with direct running. Maher has the ability to hurt Cork once he gets ball in hand but the key for Cork is to swarm Tipp’s centre forward and not allow him the green grass to run into. Cork centre back Mark Ellis has been impressive to date but this is his toughest test. And Barry-Murphy will impress upon his wing-backs and midfielders how important it is to provide Ellis with extra protection.
3. The battle for Hurler of the Year
There are contenders on both sides, with Séamus Callanan in devastating form for Tipp. The Drom & Inch hitman has notched 5-34 in four championship games and ten points against Cork, which might be out of reach, would draw him level with Antrim’s Paul Shiels on the 2014 championship top scorers list. Not surprisingly, Patrick Horgan is Cork’s leading score-getter, with 2-41 in the bag from his four games. But Tipp also have Patrick ‘Bonner’ Maher hunting for the Hurler of the Year award and another big showing from Cork’s Conor Lehane could nudge him into the frame. Ultimately, however, the destination of the individual honours won’t be decided until 7 September, with Kilkenny’s Richie Hogan the firm favourite at this point in time.
4. Can Cork cope with a five-week layoff?
The gap between Munster final and All-Ireland semi-final is one of the rocks that Limerick perished on last year. But Cork don’t have to cope with anything like the hype that gripped Limerick after their 2013 provincial win. Cork have been around the All-Ireland semi-final block in the last two seasons but this time they travel to Dublin as Munster kingpins. Tipp’s last outing was against Dublin in the All-Ireland quarter-final on July 27, just three weeks ago, and manager Eamon O’Shea will hope that will stand to his players. But with Croke Park providing a novel new environment for a meeting between these Munster heavyweights, it will take both sides a while to get up to speed.
5. Who’s going to score the crucial goals?
It was at this stage of the 2013 season when Cork finally registered their first goal championship goal. This year, the Rebels have already managed five but two of those were placed balls from Patrick Horgan in the Munster semi-final victory over Clare. Bill Cooper, Paudie O’Sullivan and Seamus Harnedy have raised green flags from open play but Cork will need at least one, if not two, goals to beat Tipp. The Premier County, meanwhile, have bagged 12 goals in four games, averaging out at three per game. Eamon O’Shea’s forwards seem to find goals easier to come by but Cork hit seven in the final three games of last year’s campaign, which were all played at Croke Park.
‘The leg had broken, I tied it to the bike with a shoe lace and cycled with one leg, all uphill’
John Gardiner column: Cork Tipp from Thurles ’91, Killarney ’04 to Croke Park tomorrow
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