Latest news with #BrianHayes
Irish Examiner
4 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Key final matchups: Maurice Brosnan's duels that will swing Cork v Tipperary
Ronan Maher v Brian Hayes In the aftermath of the 2024 All-Ireland final, Brian Hayes got back to the team hotel, dropped his bag to his room and was hit immediately by a crippling wave of hurt. The only antidote to that defeat was to seek out the group. 'It is harder when you are on your own,' he recalled last year. 'Days after driving the car by yourself and it hits you. Normal life away from it is actually tougher.' The pain of that loss remains a constant source of fuel for him and his teammates. Hayes has had a transformative impact on Cork since he came into the starting team. This season, he has scored or created 20 of their 35 goals. His puckout prowess is such that Maher could be tasked with dropping back and battling in the air. The captain did a similar role on TJ Reid. Tipperary know this defensive adjustment can work once more. After the Galway quarter-final victory, Liam Cahill gave an honest explanation of the impact three late changes had on his side. 'Our match-ups, we were thrown a little bit at the start with the three different changes for Galway.' That forced Eoghan Connolly to wing-back to take on Conor Cooney. It worked. In the semi-final, Connolly once again went out to the half-back line and clipped three points from play. Rhys Shelly v Patrick Collins In the Munster championship meeting, Rhys Shelly did not start for Tipperary. Since coming into the team, they have scored 7-40 from Shelly's restarts. When Cork won the U20 All-Ireland title, the man on the opposite sideline was Paul O'Brien. He works as a GAA Development Officer at Dublin City University and produces outstanding tactical columns for the Irish Times. O'Brien is with Tipperary as an analyst this year. Former Kilkenny goalkeeper David Herity has also taken on a more prominent coaching role. Together they possess a deep knowledge of how to maximise their puckout against Cork and to counter Collins at the other end. Both number ones can expect to be busy. Shelly demonstrated his shot-stopping ability against Galway with four saves. Collins has the same skill, which he has demonstrated since the opening round when he expertly denied Peter Duggan in the first half. The middle Cork and Tipperary are powered by a similar engine. Their style of hurling is full throttle. Go. Go again. Leave the opposition legless. Pace and power that demands a colossal effort. It starts at the centre. Liam Cahill and Pat Ryan opted for unchanged teams for Sunday which means Conor Stakelum and Willie Connors will dual with Tim O'Mahony and Darragh Fitzgibbon. Those driving runs down the middle have been an awesome weapon for the Munster champions. Tipperary know they have to match that. The standout statistic from the semi-final was that Dublin were turned over 17 times in midfield compared to just eight for Cork. Ryan's side hit 5-11 from turnovers. That is the point for both sides on Sunday. Midfield pressure isn't just about protection, it is a platform. Noel McGrath's outstanding pass to Oisín O'Donoghue earned deserved plaudits but consider that play in its entirety. Tipperary won possession deep inside their own half and Connors was the outlet, inside his own 45. From there he could pick out McGrath on the opposite wing. When he collected possession, two Tipperary forwards were inside the Galway 45 with a clear swathe in front of them. This decider will be dictated by who can conquer centrefield.
RTÉ News
4 days ago
- Sport
- RTÉ News
Brian Hayes central to Cork's impressive goal rush in 2025
Brian Hayes has been directly involved in an average of two goals per game for Cork en route to this year's All-Ireland hurling final. Suddenly the fulcrum of the Cork attack, he is now the man to stop. The St Finbarr's inside forward has either scored, assisted, won the free for or provided the pass prior to the assist for over 70% of his team's total number of goals in the 2025 championship. That equates to 12 of Cork's 17 goals in their six games leading up to this afternoon's Liam MacCarthy Cup decider against Tipperary. To include the Rebels' successful league campaign, that would bring his 2025 tally of involvements to 24 goals in 13 games. Cork have scored 35 in all across league and championship. Focusing solely on the latter, he has been directly involved in a total of 12-25 as Cork have navigated their way through the provincial round-robin, the Munster final and then Dublin last time out in the All-Ireland semi-final.
Irish Examiner
4 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Cork v Tipperary: Everything you need to about the All-Ireland hurling final
All-Ireland SHC final: Cork v Tipperary, Croke Park, 3.30pm (L. Gordon, Galway) Live RTÉ2, BBC2 Cork, who last won the All-Ireland in 2005, are bidding for their 31st title, while Tipperary, who were last successful in 2019, are seeking their 29th title. Kilkenny lead the way with 36 titles. HOW THEY GOT THERE CORK (Won 4, Drew 1, Lost 1) Munster SHC round-robin: Clare 3-21 Cork 2-24, Cork 4-27 Tipperary 0-24, Limerick 3-26 Cork 1-16, Cork 2-25 Waterford 1-22. Munster SHC final: Cork 1-30 Limerick 2-27 (after extra time, Cork won 3-2 on pens) All-Ireland SHC semi-final: Cork 7-26 Dublin 2-21 Top scorers: Patrick Horgan 3-50 (1-38 frees, 0-1 '65'); Brian Hayes 5-8; Alan Connolly 4-9; Declan Dalton 1-12 (0-4 frees); Darragh Fitzgibbon 0-14 (0-2 frees, 0-1 '65') TIPPERARY (Won 5, Drew 1, Lost 1) Munster SHC round-robin: Tipperary 2-23 Limerick 2-23, Cork 4-27 Tipperary 0-24, Tipperary 4-18 Clare 2-21, Tipperary 1-30 Waterford 1-21. All-Ireland SHC preliminary quarter-final: Tipperary 3-32 Laois 0-18 All-Ireland SHC quarter-final: Tipperary 1-28 Galway 2-17 All-Ireland SHC semi-final: Tipperary 4-20 Kilkenny 0-30 Top scorers Jason Forde 3-43 (0-25 frees, 0-4 s/l, 1 '65'); Darragh McCarthy 1-33 (0-27 frees, 1 '65'); John McGrath 5-14; Jake Morris 0-22; Andrew Ormond 2-13. Last five Championship clashes Munster SHC 2025: Cork 4-27 Tipperary 0-24 Munster SHC 2024: Cork 4-30 Tipperary 1-21 Munster SHC 2023: Cork 4-19 Tipperary 2-25 Munster SHC 2022: Cork 3-30 Tipperary 1-24 All-Ireland SHC qualifier 2020: Tipperary 2-18 Cork 1-17 DID YOU KNOW *This will be their fourth meeting of the year, with Cork leading 2-1 from the previous three. Tipperary won a Division 1A Allianz League group game by four points, while Cork had ten points to spare in the League Final and won the Munster 'Round Robin' game over 14-man Tipp by 15 points. *Cork are bidding to end a 20-year wait without an All-Ireland win, having last won in 2005 when they completed a double. Their previous longest gap was 16 years between 1903 and 1919. *Tipperary won the last major clash with Cork, which was played in Croke Park. That in the 2014 All-Ireland semi-final, which they won by 2-18 to 1-11. *Cork are bidding to complete and All-Ireland National League double for the first time since 1970. JOHN FOGARTY'S MATCH PREVIEW: Cork ready to earn it It may be a blueblood final but there are artisan strains to how both teams have progressed to this point. Cork, as phenomenal as they were last day out, have won just three of six SHC games in normal/extra time. Aiming for a sixth consecutive championship win, Tipperary have changed their midfield in the previous five (Willie Connors has had four different partners since the Waterford game). The chances are that pattern will end in this final seeing as Conor Stakelum performed so admirably in the semi-final but the north Cork combination they face are so comfortable playing along one another. We have seen the best of Tim O'Mahony in midfield these past couple of seasons and Darragh Fitzgibbon is again in ebullient form. As subtle as it seems, Fitzgibbon returning to midfield from centre-forward has been a key factor in Cork's recalibration following that chastening day against Limerick in May. Fitzgibbon and Shane Barrett are speed merchants but it makes sense that at least one is starting his gallops from further out the field. When Liam Cahill's former selector Pádraic Maher said in January that Tipperary's proud record of winning an All-Ireland every decade was under threat, it was because we asked him. It wasn't something he brought up unprompted but he also pointed out being written off was a good place to be. Cahill has since spoken about how motivated he and his group are when they are told there is something they cannot do. Here, they will be told they can't win because Cork will do most of the hurling. That premise may be true but as they showed against Kilkenny, Tipperary don't need to boss the ball to prosper providing they are efficient and they season those patches with goals. Tipperary will show Cork respect by virtue of their preference to man-mark rather than playing zonally. Dublin went the same way and Niall Ó Ceallacháin warned it was a risk but to go the other way, he said, would only have ensured a slow if painless death. Tipperary won't stand off their men as much as Dublin. There is a chance they match-up well against Cork's attack. They will strive to keep their half-back line connected to the full-backs. No, the question is will Cork acknowledge that Tipperary have evolved from the sides they trimmed in the Division 1 final and second round of the Munster SHC. Jake Morris deserves attention and while he might be the only forward they feel has to be tracked, how Tipperary's inside line thrived on aerial ball has to be on Pat Ryan's mind as solid as that Cork trio have been looking. Ryan and his management team have done their due diligence. Losing but learning from last year's final, their players have too. Cork to win. Not because it's their time. Not because they deserve it. Not because they are the better team and have the better bench. Because they look ready to earn it. Verdict: Cork
Irish Examiner
6 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
The hurling roundtable: six experts on the All-Ireland decider
John Allen, former Cork and Limerick manager 1. Are the country's best two teams contesting Sunday's final? Yes. The two most consistent teams are in the final. Tipp have only lost three matches this year. They lost to Limerick and Cork in the league final. The only other game they lost in the championship was the Munster championship against Cork, in which they were down to 14 men for the entire game. Cork have only lost two games, Tipp in the league and Limerick in the Munster championship. 2. Who's your hurler of the year at this moment and why? Hurler of the year for me is Brian Hayes. He has 10 goals in league and championship this season and has assisted 10 more. He's unmarkable at times, brings something unique to the Cork attack. An option from puck outs, ruthless in front of goal and brings others into the play. Honourable mention to Huw Lawlor and Jake Morris 3. Who's been the breakout star of the Hurling Championship? Darragh McCarthy has been impressive from the very start of his fledgling career .He's had a bit of bad luck in the card department this year which doesn't take away from his ability as a top class hurler Diarmaid Healy Cork and Aidan O'Connor Limerick have both been impressive as has Oisín O'Donoghue Tipp four. What championship game has showcased modern hurling at its finest? The game which showcased the modern game of hurling for me was the Munster final between Cork and Limerick. It had a bit of everything. Frantic pace, few frees, physicality. Some great score taking. Loads of tactical battles, zonal marking of Limerick versus man to man of Cork. Draw, extra time, penalty shoot out. Skill levels and conditioning are the best they've ever been. 5. If you could change one hurling rule, what would it be? Dissent penalised. 6. How do Tipperary counter Cork's lethal inside threat? Very difficult task, they have to try and protect the full back line while also putting pressure on the ball out the field. It's getting the timing right of dropping off but also not letting Shane Barrett get on ball in the midfield. Does Rónán Maher play at six and drop off or does he mark Brian Hayes inside. Tipperary will have to work very hard around the middle which they are good at. Cork will have a similar problem on the other side, Tipp have extremely dangerous forwards so Rob Downey needs to make a decision does he follow Ormond or does he protect the full back line. 7. Will pressure on Cork to deliver after a 20-year wait hang heavy over them? The experience of last year's final will stand to Cork. Navigating the build up, tickets, travel etc. there's always pressure in a final but they'll have all bases covered and it's just about performing on the day. Pat Ryan is very level headed and will be able to keep them focused on the task at hand. Experience of winning the league and Munster finals should stand to them as well. 8. Who's your All-Ireland champions and why? I think Cork will win the final, they've a better balanced side and with the experience of last year they should be able to deal with the build up better. I don't think Tipp will be able to hold all the Cork forwards. Liam Cahill is a great manager and has beaten Cork teams in underage finals when Tipp have been written off before. They won't be found wanting. It should be a great occasion.. Brian Dowling, Kildare hurling manager ALL WHITE: Kildare manager Brian Dowling says he has things to discuss with the county board before committing for the exciting 2026 season. Pic: INPHO/Bryan Keane 1 Are the country's best two teams contesting Sunday's final? Yes I believe the best two teams are in the final on merit. They both have been consistent all year after making the League final too. Cork have been the best team all year, Tipperary have got out of Munster and beaten Kilkenny and Galway to get to the final. Limerick would have been expected to get to the final but Dublin deservedly beat them in the quarter final. Kilkenny were never going to be far away but Cork and Tipperary deserve to be in this final. 2. Who's your hurler of the year at this moment and why? Brian Hayes. No question here. He has been terrific in the league and championship. He is the x factor in this Cork team. He is so hard to handle, he can win the ball anyway you want. low or high. Once in hand all he wants to do is head for goal. He has scored 10 and assisted another 10 of Cork's last 30 goals, that says it all. I love watching him play. Some of the touches and flicks against Dublin were pure class. 3. Who's been the breakout star of the Hurling Championship? Adam English. I know he is not a new name but this year was the breakout year for Adam. He became a regular starter for Limerick. He is a joy to watch. He played well in every game this year for Limerick. To keep Darragh O'Donovan out of the starting team says it all. He is electric when he has ball in hand. Honorable mentions for Robert Byrne and Sam O'Farrell. What championship game has showcased modern hurling at its finest? The Munster final. It had everything. Tyler Walsh kept the whistle in the pocket which made it a great spectacle to watch. Extra time and penalties added to the drama. Dublin vs Limerick was a brilliant game, Dublin brought an unreal intensity that Limerick could not match on the day. 5. If you could change one hurling rule, what would it be? Two points for a sideline. It's a rule already in camogie. It's a great skill and players should be rewarded with more than one point for such a difficult skill to do. Galway could have won more All Irelands if this rule was in play when Joe Canning was playing! 6. How do Tipperary counter Cork's lethal inside threat? Good question! It is not going to be easy. Cork are so good at playing it short if they need to and mix it up by going long. The Tipp full back line have to attack the ball and trust themselves. If the Cork full forward line are allowed space and good ball they are impossible to stop as we saw against Dublin. The work rate from Tipp in the middle third is crucial to limit the amount of deliveries to the Cork full forward line. Getting the match ups right will be crucial! 7. Will pressure on Cork to deliver after a 20-year wait hang heavy over them? I don't think so. This is a new team, when you are involved in a team you only focus on the year at the time, you can't be thinking of the past. Every All Ireland final has its own pressure. You have to perform to win. Cork are going to be confident of winning but they know they will have to earn it against a very good Tipp team. Pat Ryan will have it drilled into them to be ready for a huge battle, they have beaten Tipp twice this year, it's harder to keep beating the same team in the one year but I feel now is the time for this Cork team to win their first All Ireland in 20 years. 8. Who's your All-Ireland champions and why? Cork. They are awesome. They have so much attacking threat. I think Tipp will cause them trouble at the back but Cork will have too much firepower. Cork also have a strong bench to help them finish off the job. The experience from last year will also stand to them. Liam Cahill has done a fantastic job to get Tipp back to a final but I think Cork are just too good at the moment. Pat Ryan has had a very difficult year personally, but I expect him to be an All-Ireland senior winning manager on Sunday evening. TJ Ryan, former Limerick player and manager. CENTRE STAGE: TJ Ryan pictured on stage at the special Dalo Live All-Ireland Final Preview event at the Sarsfields GAA Club in Glanmire. Picture Chani Anderson. 1. Are the country's best two teams contesting Sunday's final? No. I know that allegations of bias will be thrown at me here. I felt all year that Cork and Limerick were the two best teams and you could argue who was No 1 and who was No 2. I thought Limerick were the best team in extra time in the Munster Final but didn't put Cork away. Knockout championship can sometimes produce a twist in the script and in fairness to Tipperary they were in the right place at the right time. 2. Who's your hurler of the year at this moment and why? Brian Hayes. Quite simply, he is a game changer. His goalscoring and assist tallies all year read extremely well. For a corner forward to be that big, physical and powerful is unusual. His knockdowns have added a new dimension to the inside line. 3. Who's been the (young) breakout star of the Hurling Championship? Sam O Farrell. What a season for the U20 star. It is very difficult in modern times for players U20 to break into the senior team. Sam has played in defence, midfield and the forwards for Tipperary seniors in 2025. His work rate, vision, energy and team play have been a huge plus for Liam Cahill. He also captained the U20 team to All-Ireland glory during the senior campaign. 4. What championship game has showcased modern hurling at its finest? The Munster Final in the Gaelic Grounds. Had it all. Very tight contest, full house, extra time, injury to the ref, sideline shemozzle. Oh and a penalty shootout to finish things off. Drama at its best in this modern world. 5. If you could change one hurling rule, what would it be? The football clock rule is growing on me. I think we have room for it and maybe long term it could take the timekeeping pressure away from the referee. 6. How do Tipperary counter Cork's lethal inside threat? With great planning, concentration and help from out the field. The amount of quality ball being delivered in must be limited. Getting the matchups right will also be crucial. Learning from the league final and championship round robin will help. They conceded no goal to Kilkenny in the semi-final which will have given them a confidence boost. 7. Will pressure on Cork to deliver after a 20-year wait hang heavy over them? No. They were beaten in the final last year with practically the same team and management. They know what to expect now. Internally, they have been under pressure all year and have delivered so far with two cups already on the table. They have prepared all year for this day. 8. Who's your All-Ireland champions and why? Cork. They are perfectly poised to deliver their best performance of 2025. They had a brilliant league and then won the Munster Championship. They used their four-week break really well, had a straightforward semi-final win. Now it's time to complete the perfect year. Brian Hogan, seven-time Kilkenny All-Ireland winner TOP CAT: O'Loughlin Gaels manager Brian Hogan. Pic: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile 1. Are the country's best two teams contesting Sunday's final? Yes. You can make arguments that a side like Limerick could or should be there, but ultimately, every county has the same path to the final mapped out for them at the start of the year so these two counties are there on merit. 2. Who's your hurler of the year at this moment and why? Brian Hayes. A cert if he produces a good display in a Cork win. His power, pace and confidence have brought a real edge to Cork's attack. 3. Who's been the breakout star of the Hurling Championship? Darragh McCarthy. The two red cards aren't ideal, but you can forgive a lot at his age. What's most impressive is the selflessness in his play. Breakout forwards are usually all about going for their own score. This lad has the maturity to constantly look for the player in a better position. 4. What championship game has showcased modern hurling at its finest? Not sure how you define 'modern hurling', but the best game this year for me was the Munster final. That evening's entertainment had it all. 5. If you could change one hurling rule, what would it be? I'd leave the game alone. There's not a lot that needs fixing as far as I can see. Read More Derek McGrath: Cork to navigate rocky seas on emotive voyage 6. How do Tipperary counter Cork's lethal inside threat? If you can't stop the supply being delivered to inside forward line, at least slow it down. That demands very hard work out the field, in midfield and the half-forward line. Which Tipp players have been producing this year, in fairness. It's easier said than done but if ball is coming in without pressure, it will be impossible to survive. 7. Will pressure on Cork to deliver after a 20-year wait hang heavy over them? I don't think It should play a role in this time's approach. All year, they seem to be embracing the expectation. Even the round robin flop against Limerick didn't appear to derail them at all. Last year's final defeat will stand to them too. 8. Who's your All-Ireland champions and why? Cork. They have been the most consistent team all year with the most potent attack. Ken Hogan, Tipperary two-time All-Ireland winner and selector LAST MAN STANDING: Former Tipperary goalkeeper Ken Hogan. Pic: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile 1. Are the country's best two teams contesting Sunday's final? Without a doubt the best two teams are in the final and both contested the National League Final as well. The two most consistent teams in the country. 2. Who's your hurler of the year at this moment and why? My Cork Hurler of the year is Brian Hayes, he has been unbelievably good and has the ability to light up the game when he is needed most. A class forward. My Tipperary Hurler of the year is Eoghan Connolly, absolutely outstanding this year, with the extra caveat of scoring sensational points at the most vital times right throughout this campaign. Winner takes all on Sunday. 3. Who's been the breakout star of the Hurling Championship? I think to be fair to Dublin, Brian Hayes has had a brilliant year and he is my breakout star of the championship. 4. What championship game has showcased modern hurling at its finest? It has to be the Munster Hurling Final. Breathtaking, nail biting, mistakes, plus extra time and penalties showing up the human frailties of the amateur player. 5. If you could change one hurling rule, what would it be? I would like to see 2 points for a side line cut, considering it has been such a success outside the Arc in Gaelic Football. 6. How do Tipperary counter Cork's lethal inside threat? This is the conundrum. We must get our matchups right, but then counter the brilliance of O'Mahony and Fitzgibbon in midfield, plus the twin axis of Dalton and Barrett. A big ask, game will be over at half time if we don't counter those threats. Can we afford to leave the big three Noel McGrath, Alan Tynan and Oísín O'Donoghue on the sidelines?? 7. Will pressure on Cork to deliver after a 20-year wait hang heavy over them? Certainly there will be pressure on Cork to deliver, particularly if things are tight at half time. Tipp have absolutely nothing to lose but we can't afford a shoot out. Huge hype in Cork is not helping their cause. All we ask of Tipp is a performance. 8. Who's your All-Ireland champions and why? Considering the GAA in their wisdom have decided for the first time since COVID that there will be no extra time in the event of a draw, I am predicting a replay. Let the fun begin! Noel Connors, former Waterford All-Star defender. 1. Are the country's best two teams contesting Sunday's final? That's a tough one to start. Tipperary have probably been the most consistent team this year. With the exception of the Cork game when they had Darragh McCarthy sent off, their levels of performance have been steadily high. Losing to Limerick in the Gaelic Grounds was probably the kickstart that Cork needed. So boiling it down they are, yes. 2. Who's your hurler of the year at this moment and why? Brian Hayes. The man is a machine and he wasn't too far off this form last year bar a couple of games. He had a poor enough game against Offaly and wasn't the best against Dublin in the All-Ireland quarter-final but there was a bug going through the camp at the time. 3. Who's been the breakout star of the Hurling Championship? He's been threatening the last couple of seasons, Adam English. He's been the most influential at this age. You can talk about other young players like Darragh McCarthy but English has been the most influential. In a pivotal role in a very good team despite what happened this year, he was putting in big performances. 4. What championship game has showcased modern hurling at its finest? I would honestly say the Munster final because it had everything – controversy, goals, hard hits. It was extremely tactical too and it had players lining out in positions you wouldn't normally associate them with like Darragh Fitzgibbon mirroring the defensive midfield position of William O'Donoghue and playing like an extra centre-back for the whole second half of that game, and Fitzgibbon probably did the better job of it. 5. If you could change one hurling rule, what would it be? Maybe not changing a rule but introducing a rule so that technology can be used more. I don't think we're getting enough out of linesmen. The referee will get assistance from them but there are limits to what they can say despite the communication channels they have. 6. How do Tipperary counter Cork's lethal inside threat? Get the ball to ground. They can't let the likes of Alan Connolly, Hoggie and Brian Hayes to dictate the aerial ball. The hardest thing for Tipperary is the long puck-out. I know Rhys Shelly can't hit it long but with Hayes around that D, Patrick Collins has a massive target man. It's hard to compete against him. If Tipp can compete with them in the air and upset the ball that is coming, it will go a long way to winning the match. 7. Will pressure on Cork to deliver after a 20 year wait hang heavy over them? I don't think so because a lot of those lads have been successful at Fitzgibbon Cup and under-age levels. You often hear about having to lose one to win one and in this case that may just be true for Cork. You often hear about teams getting to the finals and it's the tunnel that kills them, the anticipation of what is to come. Cork won't have those issues. 8. Who's your All-Ireland champions and why? Cork simply for the fact that they have been the second best team for the last four or five years. They were unlucky last year, have been the best team in 2025 and are ready to cap that.
Irish Times
7 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Times
Cork v Tipperary: Puckout tactics, key battles, and what it will take to win All-Ireland final
The two most recent meetings between Cork and Tipperary paint similar pictures. In the League final, Cork delivered a commanding performance, winning 3-24 to 0-23, built on superior shot conversion and puckout strategy. The Munster Championship clash was more one-sided again, finishing 4-27 to 0-24, although the contest was skewed by the pre-throw-in red card to Darragh McCarthy – a blow that disrupted Tipp's structure and momentum from the outset. Despite the different contexts, Cork's consistency has stood out across both games – particularly their efficiency from puckouts, discipline in possession, and ruthless finishing in front of goal. Form of Hayes, Dalton & Barrett: Central to Cork's direct threat Cork's passing network vs Dublin. Passing weight refers to the frequency of that pass occurring The most telling feature of the passing network from the Dublin game (above) is how Brian Hayes and Declan Dalton served as the primary targets for progression. Brian Hayes, with 5-8 so far in this year's championship, is clearly the focal point of Cork's attack, receiving high-volume, high-weight passes – particularly from his 'keeper Patrick Collins and Darragh Fitzgibbon in midfield. Declan Dalton provides a second powerful outlet, often pulling to the left channel to win primary possession. He covered and retreated well on the Dublin puckouts and picked up breaks which created a platform for the Cork attack. Shane Barrett's role is also pivotal to Cork's puckout success. He regularly made sharp decoy runs and ran support loops into traditional puckout zones (45–65m), dragging markers out of position and opening lanes for Hayes or Dalton to receive clean ball. Cork's full forwards stay inside, leaving space for their half forward to receive long puckouts from Patrick Collins This Hayes-Dalton-Barrett trio operated as a fluid attacking triangle, combining power, pace, and support running, giving Cork multiple ways to unlock the Dublin defence. Ronan Maher vs Brian Hayes A pivotal battle. Hayes has been a revelation this season, and has been involved in 20 of the 35 Cork goals this year (10 goals, 10 assists) not just scoring, but in the way he links play and drags defenders out of position. Maher's capacity to man-mark and his overall defensive prowess will be thoroughly tested. If Hayes wins primary possession and breaks ball for Cork runners in the middle third, Cork's inside forwards will benefit hugely. Below we see Dan Morrissey pinning Brian Hayes during a Munster Championship puckout – targeting Hayes's catching and hurling arm while attacking the ball at its highest point. Dan Morrissey breaking up the Cork puckout by wrapping up Brian Hayes outside the referee's eyeline Once the physical contest is engaged, the key becomes defensive structure – and Limerick excel in this moment, providing strong cover and positioning around the breaking ball. Limerick got players to surround the high ball quickly and win breaks from Cork's puckouts Bryan O'Mara vs Declan Dalton O'Mara's positioning will be critical in managing Tipp's puckout threat. Dalton often drifts deep to contest or pick up the breaks from long puckouts, creating a dilemma for his marker. Does O'Mara push up and follow, hoping to win the break and maintain pressure? Or does he sit deeper and more central, to provide a puckout option for Shelly, as we saw with the second goal versus Kilkenny below? It's a classic risk-reward scenario. Push high to win the break and Tipp can launch an attack; get caught too far forward and Cork suddenly have space to exploit in behind, with runners like Fitzgibbon and O'Mahony. O'Mara's decisions in these moments could shape the rhythm of Tipp's defensive performance. Dublin's Conor Donohoe followed Dalton, and Collins exploited the space left in behind The midfield duel – Where the game could swing Willie Connors and Conor Stakelum will probably line out against Darragh Fitzgibbon and Tim O'Mahony in midfield, where Cork seem to have the edge. Fitzgibbon's athleticism and O'Mahony's distribution are crucial in Cork's build-up. Below we see O'Mahony's movement for Collins's restart that led to Connolly's goal against Dublin. Decoy runs from the Cork forward line gave space for midfielders like O'Mahony to win puckouts and start attacks, as was the case for this Connolly goal. Notice how Cork overload one side of the pitch Both Tipp men must track religiously and get goalside quickly when possession turns over. Failure to do so could open central lanes that Cork love to exploit with late runners. It's either sprint five yards or get goalside of your man – do neither, and it'll be a long afternoon. Tipperary can't afford for their midfielders to be lax tracking late runners, as Cork specialise in these attacks Tipp's restarts Rhys Shelly's puckout strategy is one of Tipperary's most important weapons. He strikes a fine balance between short, mid-range and long deliveries, making it extremely difficult for opposition teams – and even analysts – to identify consistent patterns. His one-step puckout causes problems: the quick trigger limits time for defensive set-ups and disguises his intended target. Shelly can ping accurate passes to the wings, float balls into space behind midfield, or deliver short to his half-backs under pressure. That unpredictability forces teams to second-guess their press and gives Tipp forwards a real advantage in timing their runs. Below we see him finding O'Mara over TJ Reid's head. Will this stop Dalton offering cover to his half-back line? Shelly's short restarts were used as a platform for attacks. Here, Bryan O'Mara receives the puckout to start a goalscoring move by Tipp The next puckout he hits is an 80-yard puckout behind Deegan to Ormond who identifies the space – and where there is space there is danger, particularly in Croke Park. Shelly's long-range puckouts can also be used to find Tipp's key forwards quickly Comes down to both inside lines Tipperary's inside line is higher-scoring, but Cork's looks the more lethal. Tipp's trio of Darragh McCarthy, John McGrath and Jason Forde have averaged 18 points per game across seven matches, while Cork's Horgan, Hayes and Connolly have averaged 17 in six. Tipp may have more volume, but Cork's attack carries greater efficiency and goal threat. [ All-Ireland hurling final: Throw-in time, where to watch, story so far Opens in new window ] Tipp's game intelligence was central to their dismantling of Kilkenny, driven by the sharp instincts of their inside forwards. So far in this year's championship, McGrath (5-14) and Forde (3-14) have led the scoring charge, with McCarthy offering energy and movement around them. McGrath gave Huw Lawlor a torrid time – using double movements, delayed runs and smart rotation to constantly unbalance Kilkenny's full-back line. A game rich with narratives awaits. Whether it's Cork's explosive structure or Tipp's hunger for redemption, this final could come down to moments of discipline, key matchups, and who displays the greatest composure and control going down the home stretch. Jeffrey Lynskey managed Galway to three All-Ireland minor hurling titles. He is also a former Galway under-20 manager and is currently an MSc student in Sports Performance Analysis at Setu Carlow.
