John Horgan on the Cork hurlers who need to deliver to beat Tipp at Croke Park

So, it all comes down to this, 70 minutes in Croke Park to decide who will take possession of one of the most cherished prizes in Irish sport.

Yes, it's that defining Sunday of the intercounty hurling season, this time it's an historic occasion, the very first time that two of the game's giants collide in an All-Ireland final.

There is a considerable list of epic encounters between Cork and Tipperary on the provincial stage, Munster final battles that went right to the wire, among them the Centenary year fnal in 1984, the final replay in Killarney in 1987, the 1990, 1991 deciders and so on going down through the ages.

But this is different, so different, the stakes are immeasureably higher, the inaugural final meeting on the biggest stage.

Cork are the pundits fancy, the vast majority believe that their time has arrived again and that's all based on their participation in last season's decider, their current status as national league and Munster champions and how poorly Tipp were rated at the season's outset.

Maybe there is some relevance in all of that but the Premier County's place in the final cannot be argued.

They finished third in Munster, on the same tally of points as Limerick and Cork and their trajectory has been upwards subsequently.

They have had, arguably, a more difficult campaign than Cork, playing one game more in their championship campaign, seven in total to Cork's six and having had a far more difficult All-Ireland semi-final than Cork had.

It could be said that this Tipperary squad have defied many of their doubters this season.

Defeating Kilkenny in the semi-final has been the high point and their confidence levels must very high as a result of that thrilling victory.

Both themselves and Cork had just the one bad day at the office, happening in the round-robin stage in Munster when Limerick hammered Cork and Cork easily dispatched next Sunday's opponents.

Their powers of recovery from those losses have been admirable and the players and management of both counties deserve credit for that.

In many respects, both counties have similarities, both contain great depth in their squads, Cork maybe more so and particularly in attack that is the case.

The wonder goal that substitute Oisin O'Donoghue delivered for Tipp against Kilkenny decided that game while Noel McGrath's influence can still be telling.

Darragh Stakelum is another important attacker that Tipp can call from the bench and Alan Tyan is there or thereabouts too.

Dublin's Paul O'Dea tackles Shane Kingston of Cork. Picture: INPHO/Leah Scholes

We have seen how influential the Cork bench can be with Shane Kingston, Conor Lehane, Robbie O'Flynn, Tommy O'Connell impacting when getting the nod and it's almost a given now that your subs are going to have a major role to play.

DEVASTATING

In both semi-finals, the respective full-forward sectors were in devastating form when it came to blasting home goals, all six of them raising green flags.

When Alan Connolly and Brian Hayes find the space they have the ability to devastate the opposition defence and Hayes has arguably been Cork's most important player since the season began.

Patrick Horgan has become more visionary in his approach play and his laying off of the ball when necessary has provided a fresh impetus in attack and he remains one of the most influential players in Cork's set-up.

Tipp's full-forward triumvirate of Darragh McCarthy, Jason Forde and John McGrath have the ability to punish defensive indiscretions in all teams and Niall O'Leary, Eoin Downey and Seanie O'Donoughue will have been made aware by the management of the threat they carry.

But this Cork full-back line has developed into a very assured trio with the Inniscarra player hugely impressive.

Robert Doyle and Eoghan Connolly have grown as Tipp defensive lynchpins and Connolly's ability to deliver long-range points has been catching the eye.

Eoin Cody of Kilkenny in action against Robert Doyle of Tipperary. Picture: John Sheridan/Sportsfile

Tim O'Mahony had his best game of the year in the semi-final while Darragh Fitzgibbon has matured into one of the country's best hurlers.

Tipp did not start well against Kilkenny, scoring just one point in the opening 13 minutes and the importance of the early John McGrath goal proved crucial.

Tipperary are in a place now where few expected them to be a few months ago, they began the season with a shaky enough foundation in the aftermath of how they ended last season, down and out in Munster.

Team boss, Liam Cahill had big decisions to make and he wasn't afraid to do so.

In came a number of players that he had dealt with at minor and U20 level, the natural progression does not always happen but in Tipp it has been successful thus far.

Robert Doyle has been a big find, Sam O'Farrell, Eoghan Connolly, Darragh McCarthy and Oisin O'Donoghue have gelled with the more experienced guys, and the blend in the team has been strong. And despite the league final loss to Cork and to the same opponent in Munster, it has been a lot more positive than many might have been thought possible.

Getting into the final puts them in bonus territory straight off and, let's be honest, Cork have a lot more to lose on Sunday than they have.

A second final loss in consecutive seasons would not be good in a county that's been on the waiting list for 20 years now.

There is never a divine right to anything but this Cork squad are in the delivery room again now with so much expectation.

They have the hurt from last season to draw from, it's the best squad of players in place for many a long day and a management team that will have learned from last July as well.

PLENTIFUL

It's highly unlikely that the goals for both sides will be as plentiful as they were in the semi-finals and overall the thinking would be that as a unit the Cork front six are that bit more potent.

People will say Cork have already beaten Tipp twice this season, both by big margins but Tipp have improved considerably since those meetings.

It goes without saying that the importance of a good start cannot be emphasised enough and here you have one team playing with the experience of a final appearance and that has to be some bit of a plus.

Cork might have preferred a more searching test against Dublin, more to the type Tipp had against Kilkenny. But they more than did what was required and being tops in a cracking Munster final illustrated the squad's capabilities on the biggest of days.

Deccie Dalton's display the last day was a revelation and the starting 15 is very close to picking itself now.

The puck-outs strategy, kick-outs too in football are more important now than they ever have been and winning your own, in particular, is critical.

Overall, the thinking has to be that this Cork team and squad are further advanced in its development.

Despite the huge win against Dublin, the management would still see room for improvement. That's an ideal position to be in and all the portents suggest that their time has finally come again.

Verdict: Cork.

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