PREVIEW: Tipperary players have restored sense of pride in the jersey this season

Already there has been great sport, craic and banter in the build-up to the All-Ireland hurling final between Tipperary and Cork, counties that generally have a healthy and respectful rivalry.

They usually sort out their differences at venues such as FBD Semple Stadium or SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh. However, the sight of them doing battle at GAA headquarters on Sunday will not only have novel appeal, it will be the first time they have met in an All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship Final.

In more recent times they clashed at Croke Park in the 2014 All-Ireland semi-final, the only other occasion when they met in a senior hurling championship match at the Dublin 3 venue. That day, Tipperary enjoyed a comprehensive 2-18 to 1-11 victory, with two brilliant goals in either half from Seamus Callanan paving the way for their success.

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Two players who were involved that day eleven years ago are likely to be in action for Tipperary again this weekend - Noel McGrath, who scored two points from play, and Jason Forde, who appeared as a substitute for Patrick ‘Bonner’ Maher in the 63rd minute.

Both players might now be in the veteran category but they still have so much to offer. 31-year-old Forde won the man of the match award in the semi-final against Kilkenny, after his brilliant first half goal was embellished by the conversion of four difficult frees and an outstanding point from play close to the touchline on the Hogan Stand side of the pitch.

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34-year-old McGrath may no longer be a guaranteed starter but his cameo appearances from the bench throughout the campaign mean that he remains one of the team’s most influential players. He is invariably two or three steps ahead of the game in terms of his vision and reading of the play, which marks him apart as such a vital component of the group.

His statement after the semi-final was a measure of the man: “There are 38 lads on our panel who want to play and I’m no different to that.

“But you do what you’re asked to do, and if Liam (Cahill) wants me for 70 minutes or for 10 minutes, I’ll be ready to do that.”

In the course of an illustrious, remarkable career, he has already played in ten All-Ireland Finals - two at minor (2007 and 08), one Under 21 (2010) and seven at senior - 2009, 2010, 2011, 2014 (drawn game and replay), 2016 and 2019. Now that’s what you call experience.

The team is captained by another seasoned campaigner in Ronan Maher, who was on the teams that were successful in 2016 and 2019.

Others on the panel, including Michael Breen, John McGrath, Seamus Kennedy and Willie Connors have been around the block a few times too.

The more experienced players are eager to stress the importance of the energy and freshness that the younger brigade have brought. That includes this year’s All-Ireland-winning Under 20 trio of Darragh McCarthy, Sam O’Farrell and Oisín O’Donoghue, who lit up Croke Park with that sensational late goal against Kilkenny in the semi-final, and also found the net for a crucial goal in the quarter-final against Galway.

It also includes Robert Doyle, who has been a lynchpin of the defence, despite having only made his debut in those dreary and miserable conditions in the league game in Galway last January.

As well as the new players and the more experienced, there’s an in-between category that features goalkeeper Rhys Shelly, Eoghan Connolly, Craig Morgan, Bryan O’Mara, Conor Stakelum, Andrew Ormond and Jake Morris.

The latter is arguably finally fulfilling his potential this season, the Nenagh Eire Og player having scored 26 points throughout the championship, and emerging as one of the team’s key players.

Despite wearing the number three jersey, Eoghan Connolly’s accuracy from long range has been rewarded with 13 points during this championship, which has made him the team’s not so secret weapon.

Tipp have a score to settle with Cork following that heavy 15-points defeat in the second round of the Munster championship, having played most of the match with just 14 players following Darragh McCarthy’s dismissal.

In fact, it’s two scores to settle, after The Rebels also beat them in the National League Final, by ten points.

What better place to do that than Croke Park on All-Ireland Final day?

Whatever happens on Sunday, a sense of pride has been restored to the Tipperary jersey in the course of a memorable campaign.

Here’s wishing the team and management the very best of luck in their endeavours.