17-07-2025
Two-time All-Ireland winner Pat Fox hopeful Tipperary can put it up to Cork in the All-Ireland final
Pat Fox admits his native Tipperary are up against it in this Sunday's All-Ireland hurling final against Cork, but he expects a different type of game to the last meeting between the sides.
Fox, who won two All-Irelands as a player with Tipp, was speaking on RTÉ's Today with Claire Byrne as the countdown to the biggest game in the sport continues.
"I didn't think we'd be in an All-Ireland final," Fox said on the programme.
"We never thought that we'd be in the last three of the Munster Championship, to get through [to the All-Ireland series.]
"It was out of our wildest dreams so we're thrilled that we got through. We've massive excitement here in Cashel."
The sides have met three times in 2025, with Tipperary winning the regular Allianz League game by four points back February.
Since then however, Cork have dominated the other two meetings, triumphing by a combined total of 25 points in the league final, and the Munster Championship round robin game.
That game in the provincial championship had some of its edge taken off by the early sending off of Darragh McCarthy for an off-the-ball incident.
But Fox is hopeful that lessons have been learned by the Premier County players since then, and that the lack of expectation on the team might see them throw the shackles off at Croke Park.
"Tipp are in a great place at the moment to be going in as underdogs," the 1991 Hurler of the Year continued.
"Cork are huge favourites for this, they beat us so badly in the last match - we should hardly be turning out at all!
"We're in a far better state now. We had young Darragh sent off the last day against Cork and the game was null and void after that happening - this game is totally different.
"They're fantastic forwards, serious goal threats. We'll really be up against it."