Check out Nicky English on the Cork hurling team: the profiles of the 15 men bidding for All-Ireland glory.
Then Joe Canning on the Clare team.
[ Joe Canning on the Clare hurling team: The 15 men bidding for All-Ireland gloryOpens in new window ]
Malachy Clerkin writes of the reasons why it’s impossible to begrudge either Cork or Clare an All-Ireland final win. From Ger Loughnane to Jimmy Barry-Murphy, from Shane O’Donnell the astronaut to Patrick Horgan the record breaker, nobody outside the counties involved has a bone to pick this weekend
Cork can bring enough of the storm to weather Clare challenge, writes Nicky English. He asks what Cork will show up?
“The games against Offaly and Dublin spooked me a little bit about Cork. I accept the medical cert as an explanation for a lack of energy but the performances fell a long way off the defining levels reached against Limerick, twice, and for half the Tipperary match.
“Can they maintain that state of mind through two weeks of absolute hype and delirium in the county? In that respect, the experience of the 2021 final will be invaluable because the personnel isn’t much different from that beaten to a pulp that day by Limerick.”
[ Nicky English: Cork can bring enough of the storm to weather Clare challengeOpens in new window ]
Cork’s momentum can get them over the line in tight finale, writes Seán Moran in his preview of today’s final. He says Cork need slightly less to go right for them than Clare.
Hello and welcome to live coverage of the All-Ireland hurling final between Cork and Clare at Croke Park.. It is a repeat of the 2013 final and should be a great game, the first winner that isn’t Limerick for quite a while after Cork beat the champions in a stunning semi-final. Throw-in for the decider is at 3.30pm. Cork have a massive support for this one and are looking for their first title since 2005.
Both sides have named unchanged starting line-ups for this weekend’s final.
Cork: Patrick Collins; Niall O’Leary, Eoin Downey, Seán O’Donoghue (capt); Ciarán Joyce, Robert Downey, Mark Coleman; Tim O’Mahony, Darragh Fitzgibbon; Declan Dalton, Shane Barrett, Séamus Harnedy; Patrick Horgan, Alan Connolly, Brian Hayes.
Subs: Brion Saunderson, Damien Cahalane, Ger Millerick, Tommy O’Connell, Luke Meade, Ethan Twomey, Conor Lehane, Jack O’Connor, Shane Kingston, Pádraig Power, Robbie O’Flynn.
Clare: Eibhear Quilligan; Adam Hogan, Conor Cleary, Conor Leen; Diarmuid Ryan, John Conlon, David McInerney; David Fitzgerald, Cathal Malone; Tony Kelly (capt), Mark Rodgers, Peter Duggan; Aidan McCarthy, Shane O’Donnell, David Reidy.
Subs: Cian Broderick, Rory Hayes, Paul Flanagan, Cian Galvin, Darragh Lohan, Ryan Taylor, Seadna Morey, Aron Shanagher, Ian Galvin, Shane Meehan, Robin Mounsey.
Limerick’s Johnny Murphy is the referee.
