All-Ireland SHC Final Countdown: Jackie Tyrell reckons recent reshuffling has kept the Kilkenny squad fit and fresh. Ian O'Riordan reports.

There's an obvious starting point to the All-Ireland hurling final countdown. Tomorrow evening, Cork manager John Allen will write down 15 names without pause. Later in the week, Kilkenny manager Brian Cody will write down James McGarry and then pause. So who comes next?

The Cork team effectively picks itself. Neil Ronan's swap with Kieran Murphy for the quarter-final against Limerick has been the only change all summer, and otherwise they'll line out exactly as they did for last year's All-Ireland win. Such stability is rare in modern times.

Kilkenny, however, like to keep things interesting. All four of their championship games this summer saw major reshuffling in the starting line-ups, especially in the defence. The full-back line has changed with every game, and with JJ Delaney out injured, there's fresh uncertainly surrounding their defensive line-up for next Sunday.

Proof of all this is that captain Jackie Tyrell lost his place for the quarter-final against Galway - having started the Westmeath and Wexford games at right wing back. He was recalled for the semi-final against Clare, at right corner back, and while he is practically assured of a role on Sunday, there's still no saying where he will start.

Yet this uncertainly, says Tyrrell, is not necessarily a problem. Selection based on training is central to Cody's philosophy, and that can only sharpen Kilkenny's edge going into Sunday's final.

"It's still hugely competitive," says Tyrrell. "Brian Cody brought in eight of the under-21s this season, and he's said all year the strength of this team will be the strength of the panel, and that's true, with the likes of Michael Kavanagh and Michael Fennelly sitting on the bench this summer.

"I think that has helped keep a real freshness to the team. Yeah, for periods there against Clare our defence was a little shaky. But we've regrouped and worked on a few things. JJ's loss is huge, but Brian has talked all year about the strength of the panel.

"Any time you lose a player like that the team will be unsettled a bit. But it's also an opportunity for someone else to move in there, because we feel we do have a strong enough squad."

Tyrell admits being dropped for the Galway game hurt, but he just got on with it. At 24 he's one of the youngest Kilkenny captains in years, but he's fully aware of the honour that goes with it. He only has to think about the previous captains from James Stephens.

"The club is steeped in tradition, and I'm lucky that I can talk to a lot of lads who have been here before me, including Brian of course. We go back years. He also taught me in school, and I've a very good relationship with him.

"But I still don't think my role has changed. We've plenty of leaders on this team, and even though JJ is injured he'll be there on the day driving us on as well."

While he'll most likely slot in at corner back, Tyrrell played most of his underage hurling at centre back or wing back. An All-Ireland under-21 winner, he joined the senior panel in 2003 - although he didn't feature in that year's All-Ireland win. His list of honours already runs long (All-Ireland club, colleges, league and Fitzgibbon) yet he remains highly motivated.

"In Kilkenny there's such a demand for the All-Ireland that if we don't win we'd be very disappointed. You know, two years without an All-Ireland is a long time in Kilkenny. But there's such a spirit and unity within the team. We're all in this together, all dreaming for the one goal . . . It would mean the world to me."

Kilkenny, we remind him, are unbeaten all year. But Cork, he counters, are going for a third title.

"Cork are a class team and haven't won two All-Irelands for nothing. You only have to look at their last few games there. Other teams had the game for the taking, yet Cork were able to step it up . . . They've pulled through, but it is something we've looked at.

"But we can't say we're trying to stop Cork winning three in a row. We can only look at this game from a Kilkenny point of view. What Cork have done so far is beyond us. Obviously it's a factor for the media and other people. We can only beat the teams put in front of us."

He's studied with John Gardiner, Brian Murphy and Kieran Murphy and knows Cork will have done everything to peak on Sunday, but he feels Kilkenny have as well: "I really do, mostly because I don't think the performances we've shown so far would be enough to beat Cork. We are definitely peaking though and feel our best game is to come."