Here are your teams:

CORK (HL): Martin Coleman; Shane O’Neill, Stephen McDonnell, Brian Murphy; Seán Óg hAilpín, Eoin Cadogan, William Egan; Lorcán McLoughlin, John Gardiner; Conor Lehane, Pa Cronin, Niall McCarthy; Luke O’Farrell, Paudie O’Sullivan, Pat Horgan
KILKENNY (HL): David Herity; Paul Murphy, JJ Delaney, Jackie Tyrrell; Tommy Walsh, Brian Hogan, Richie Doyle; Michael Fennelly, Paddy Hogan; Richie Hogan, TJ Reid, Cillian Buckley; Colin Fennelly, Eoin Larkin, Matthew Ruth

Any predictions out there? We reckon Cork might just sneak it but wouldn’t put a penny on it because Kilkenny showed against Galway that they can put up a massive score (3-26 that day) even when some of the brightest lights aren’t about to shine

Getting ready for throw-in, bubbling nicely in Thurles. Last time they met in a league final in 2002, Brian Dowling scored the winning point… who will be the hero today?

TJ Reid with the first wide of the game after good work from Richie Hogan but Patrick Horgan does the same for Cork at the other end. Michael Fennelly shows the forwards what’s up as he finds his range from distance, before Matthew Ruth gets a second from about 18 yards Kilkenney 0-2 Cork 0-0 (2 mins)

Is there a beating on the cards? Because Anthony Nash won’t be happy with himself. Richie Doyle plays a ball into Eoin Larkin who turns on goal and shoots a limp shot into the ground which squeezes past the Cork goalkeeper. Slow start from the Rebels and Paddy Hogan adds another to push out the score to Kilkenny 1-3 Cork 0-0 (6 mins)

Paddy Hogan smashes a free over from midfield to push the lead out to seven points but Cork immediately fashion a chance to reply as Luke O’Farrell is derailed by JJ Delaney – Horgan converts the free Kilkenny 1-4 Cork 0-1 (8 mins)

Paddy Hogan clears the bar again and when Pa Cronin fumbles a chance to reply, it leads to disaster for Cork. Eoin Larkin again breaks into the penalty box and feeds Colin Fennelly – he lashes it into the net. Will people begin to reassess where Cork are at? Matthew Ruth puts over another to make us feel like it will be a long day for JBM Kilkenny 2-6 Cork 0-0 (11 mins)

Jackie Tyrrell’s intervention prevents Niall McCarthy from getting a goal back after Horgan’s dangerous run up the end line. Lorcan McLoughlin is then fouled on the second phase and captain Horgan stems the bleeding. Paddy Hogan finally misses his mark and Cork can feel they’re up against 15 humans again Kilkenny 2-6 Cork 0-2 (16 mins)

Super score from John Gardiner out at the sideline gives Cork further hope and all of a sudden we can hope for a game. Richie Doyle with a couple of bad clearances out of the Kilkenny defence but they won’t panic – even if Richie Hogan misses a sitter of a point after Larkin gives Steven McDonnell even more of it Kilkenny 2-6 Cork 0-3 (17 mins)

Cillian Buckley might have been called back for steps but James McGrath says “on you go” and he sets up Colin Fennelly- you know what happens next with this guy Kilkenny 2-7 Cork 0-3 (19 mins)

Niall McCarthy is quite harshly called for a free and Paddy Hogan’s quick free allows Tommy Walsh get his first of the day Kilkenny 2-8 Cork 0-3 (23 mins)

Shane O’Neill delivers a lovely ball up the field and Horgan jinks this way and that before putting it over. Larkin has a chance to reply but puts it wide Kilkenny 2-8 Cork 0-4 (28 mins)

Conor Lehane gets cleaved by JJ Delaney (who gets yellow) on his way to goal and as Horgan lines up a 21-yard-free from the side, James McGrath moves the free more central because of Kilkenny interference. Paddy Hogan saves Horgan’s free over and then Michael Fennelly makes a fine save from another Horgan placed effort Kilkenny 2-10 Cork 0-5 (32 mins)

Cork had something of a mini revival during that first half but the Cats put over three in a row before the Rebels’ defence again falls to pieces, and TJ Reid picks up to slam home. This is a hammering, in truth Kilkenny 3-10 Cork 0-5 (35 mins)

Fourteen points in it at half-time and it’s hard to see where Cork can turn this around – Kilkenny have been exceptional in the absence of both Henry Shefflin and Richie Power. Cork have created just 10 chances in the first half and scored just 0-2 from play; Kilkenny have scored 14 of 22 chances Kilkenny 3-11 Cork 0-6

A lot of enthusiasm for Cork before this game. The aim now will of course to be to win the second half but will even that be enough to restore confidence going into the championship? After all, they did make it to the final in the first place

Kieran Joyce is brought in for JJ as the second half begins. Cork with the first chance as said replacement tugs back O’Farrell, and Horgan does what he does Kilkenny 3-11 Cork 0-7 (37 mins)

Niall McCarthy pulls his side back to within 12 points but a period of sustained Kilkenny pressure ends with Richie Hogan winning a free near the ’21, which Larks converts Kilkenny 3-12 Cork 0-8 (40 mins)

Great dash by TJ Reid and he paws it out to Richie Hogan who fires over on the run from 40 yards. Michael Fennelly had initially brought the ball out to midfield in that move but lost it in contact – he looks to be in pain and is replaced by John Mulhall, with Buckley heading to midfield Kilkenny 3-13 Cork 0-8 (42 mins)

That’s 1-4 for Larkin as Brian Murphy does his best to block down the James Stephens man without the aid of a hurley. Is there a better full-forward in Ireland than Larkin? Hmm, it’s hard to think of one Kilkenny 3-14 Cork 0-8 (44 mins)

Sean Og puts one wide after Horgan works a bit of room. Paudie O’Sullivan is called ashore for Cathal Naughton as JBM rearranges the deck chairs (it feels like that at this point). Bit of a stroke by Gardiner on Ruth and enough to warrant a yellow card. Larkin puts the free wide as Michael Fennelly is stretchered off the sidelines. Darren Sweetnam travels forward and pulls back a score for Cork Kilkenny 3-14 Cork 0-9 (48 mins)

There’s a bit of a temptation on our part to put a little something on Colin Fennelly becoming Hurler of the Year for 2012 and he has us on edge again with fine score. Buckley adds another shortly after; Cork add another wide through Naughton Kilkenny 3-16 Cork 0-9 (50 mins)

Cork finally hit double scores – something Kilkenny had done by the 20th minute. Jamie Coughlan pulls one back as Tommy gives the youngster a taste of his timber one the way through. Egan adds a long free soon after Kilkenny 3-16 Cork 0-11 (52 mins)

TJ splits the posts from the sideline to again exhibit the gulf in class here. Ruth sends in a point effort that is a bit short but Martin Coleman’s compass it off and he almost giftwraps a goal for Colin Fennelly – who points a few phases later anyway Kilkenny 3-18 Cork 0-9 (50 mins)

That looked wide, to be honest. Cronin makes another fine catch and throws it out to Horgan whose shot seemed to tail wide on the near left side. Richie Hogan passes up a gilt-edged scoring chance for the Cats and then Shane O’Neill – arguably Cork’s best player – sets off on a run and wins a free – which Horgan converts Kilkenny 3-18 Cork 0-13 (59 mins)

Darren Sweetnam hasn’t been bad at all since coming in and he sets up O’Farrell for a goal chance. The corner-forward hits it into the ground towards goal but Paul Murphy – another number 2 playing well – flicks it out for a ’65 that is not converted Kilkenny 3-18 Cork 0-13 (60 mins)

Penalty for Cork as Horgan catches a long ball in and heads for home, but Brian Hogan is not letting him through without a piece of his shirt. Horgan sends it over Kilkenny 3-18 Cork 0-14 (63 mins)

A couple of poor efforts by Cronin there: the first into David Herity’s hand and the next wide from long range. Sweetnam loses his hurley and offloads to Coughlan who buries it. The ref calls it back but we don’t think he should have – harsh on Cork (68 mins)

Mark Bergin picks up a break in the Cork defence and puts it over to extend the lead to 14 before Colin Fennelly makes that 15 heading into injury time. Sweetnam pulls one back though before TJ Reid pushes back himself Kilkenny 3-21 Cork 0-15 (72 mins)

Great save by Herity to tip Naughton’s rasper over just before full-time. James McGrath calls for the ball as the league title makes its way back to Kilkenny. It was a slaughtering, in all honesty Kilkenny 3-21 Cork 0-16

Larkin lifts the cup and he can now go into his Leaving Cert in top spirits

Well done to the Cats; no doubt Cork will be back

Thanks for joining us today, hope you enjoyed our coverage