There'll be no shortage of hunger in Semple Stadium tomorrow. Limerick haven't won an under-21 title since 1987. Galway's most recent win was in 1996, but that obscures the most pressing statistic: they've been in every final since and lost the lot - a year ago as hot favourites.
Four All-Ireland defeats on the bounce is a scary prospect and one which manager Brendan Lynskey has presumably mined for all it's worth. Even the current team have their own distinct story.
As a cohort, they have been unlucky losers at Tony Forristal (under-14), Nenagh Co-op (under-16) and minor level - to say nothing of the four which were around for last year's defeat at this level by Kilkenny.
This adds up to either powerful motivation or woeful conditioning. Worse, the team has suffered a severe loss with the injury to David Tierney. One of the under21 stars of last year with his two goals against Tipperary and fighting display in the final, Tierney had graduated with honours to the senior team.
A late call-up for the national hurling league final, he gave a magnificent performance against Tipperary and was one of the better players in the All-Ireland semi-final defeat by Kilkenny.
His absence points up one difference between the sides. For the first time in a long time, Galway will not have a senior player on their under-21 side.
Limerick, by contrast, field no fewer than seven players who have played senior hurling and four who have played senior championship and 14 on the panel with some senior experience.
Brian Begley, Brian Geary, Stephen Lucey and Mark Keane were involved in June's Munster semi-final against All-Ireland champions Cork.
They took spectacular revenge for that defeat in the provincial under-21 final replay and followed the 21-point win with a 12-point victory over Antrim only two days later. Galway were comfortable winners over Offaly in their All-Ireland semi-final, but their opponents were fielding four minors and were a disappointment after the Leinster win over Kilkenny.
Galway's team reflects the county's deep reserve of under-age talent. None of the team which won the All-Ireland last week start and only three of the side which won last year's minor are able to command a place. But Limerick have greater top-level experience and have come through a tough Munster campaign.
They get the vote to inflict a harrowing fourth defeat on the westerners.
LIMERICK: T Houlihan; D Reale, E Mulcahy, P Reale; P O'Reilly, B Geary, W Walsh; J Meskell, S Lucey; P O'Grady, S O'Connor, D Stapleton; D Sheehan, B Begley, M Keane. GALWAY: C Callanan; E McDonagh, D Cloonan, J Cannon; D Hardiman, C Dervan, S Morgan; S Donohue, J Culkin; D Forde, E Hyland, E Donoghue; D Joyce, D Huban, D Donohue.
