All Ireland Senior Hurling Championship (Liam McCarthy Cup) 2021

obviously Limerick Are going to throw the kitchen sink at Cork from the word go not to leave Cork in the game when they are at their most dangerous when it opens up but Everyone expects Limerick to have the damage done by half time.

If Cork somehow manage to hang onto their coat tails then an upset is on the cards.

Are Limerick an ultra professional Version like Dublin or will the red hot favorites Tag get to them?

I think we can beat Limerick but I think we have to improve in 3 areas from yesterday

1. The first ten minutes I thought we looked nervous, we were taking that extra touch with the ball and KK stole it few times too many. Got be stronger from the start

2. Got to take our goal chances. Kilkenny missed 5 ot 6 easy points but we missed 4 or 5 very good goal chances. I guess we scored a point from over 50% of those which kept scoreboard ticking over, but we have bury least 70% of our goal chances next day

3. Going need to show discipline, but also have more than just a Plan A. We will need be quick to change things around if things ain't going our way.

Sideline will be huge for us. Limerick by 3 or 4 points for me but if we get the above right you never know

The media always make the defending champions the favourites in an All-Ireland final. But it doesn't always happen that the defending champions win. Like I was amazed in 2011 that Tipperary were favourites to beat Kilkenny (I know that is going back a good bit but still). I always thought it was a nailed-on certainty that Kilkenny would win that game. Same in 2006 when Cork were going for three-in-a-row and Kilkenny were the challengers (Kilkenny win).

I know in both of those examples Kilkenny were the challengers but still it's an interesting point. I think if you look back over the last 30, 40 years the only counties to successfully defend an All-Ireland were Kilkenny (numerous occasions) and Galway in 1988. Limerick may well buck that trend and are most certainly well-equipped to do so.

Yeah Cork retained it in 2005, I forgot that one.

So have Limerick

"Cork have choked"... indeed, but not yesterday against KK who in recent years would have had a psychological edge over Cork. Great to See Cork do it in extra time having had the game all but won. They might apply the same attitude in the final. I don't think KK are as bad as some indicate on here, any KK team with 'ol spitty hands' Cody in charge has a shot.

Cork didn’t have the players in 2018 end of story to close the deal. Remember Daniel Kearney hobbling around Croker absolutely spent but nobody on the bench they could replace him with. 2021 is a different story, they have a bench that will win games these days.

whatever happens in the final they will be around for a long time, that minor team look freakishly big and skillful. Massive conveyor belt of top notch hurlers coming off the production line that nobody else can get near.

its the winning mentality that is bred into successful underage teams that you cannot match. Remember those lads who started in 99, they couldn’t give a donkeys who they were playing be it Clare or Kilkenny they knew they were going to win. You don’t learn that watching the Sunday Game.

As Gorilla Monsoon used to say, to Bobby The Brain Heenan will you stop!

I think maybe just maybe it was a bit of a tongue in cheek joke

I think this tradition is being bigged up a little.

Remember Cork lost a AI final to clare only few years back. Now to be fair Cork did everything to hand it to Clare but still they didn't get over the line.

It used to be a lot bigger thing but this Limerick side is coming off the back of two All Ireland in 3 years. So they ain't new to this and monkey off the back.

Bookies generally have Limerick plus 5 points to Cork, that a realistic assessment of where both teams are. Cork will be a bit better than earlier in the season, if the ball hops their way that’s down to two. Squeaky bum time with 10 to go for Limerick and Shane Kingston burning down the wing perhaps.

I was never more sure of anything than Italy winning the euros, and annoyed everyone on the forum for a year and no one believed me. They won. I thought Cork would win the hurling but was less sure, now I'm more sure tbh. This is Corks bread and butter, young quick and wrote off in a final, they've always won these games.

You see, Limerick are like Federer before Nadal. They've never bottled anything so can't question their mental strength, but they've never beaten one of the big 3 in a final. Now one of those big 3 has risen again. A team that beat them like dogs for years. They will fear Cork, Cork won't fear them.

People laugh at history, but how many times does the smaller and better team just always miss out? Cork will take great heart from their history, they are a giant of the game. This will be a factor in psychology whether anyone cares to admit it.

Limerick have never beaten Cork 3 times in a row in the championship, or twice in one year. You better believe they'll know this. History will weigh heavy on their shoulder's. Like Italy in the football, even if a current team has never won, that mentality has been instilled in them, the Cork players will be calmer under such pressure I believe. Limerick have a small county mentality, they'll never dominate like the big 3. They are ripe for the picking I think. Genuinely believe Cork will tear into them, they'll fear a rejuvenated Cork, history will give Cork great heart and belief.

History didn't lie. The shrewd punters will go with those who have always done it through out history. As I said, Limerick have won the Liam, but never beat one of the big 3, least not the team who have given them their worst beatings through out history. They'll doubt themselves against Cork, Cork will have no doubts. They are playing to be back where they should of been all along, hurlings top dogs