SUNDAY 26 AUGUST
Throw-in
Gaelic Grounds, Limerick, 5.30pm
Online
Live blog on RTÉ.ie and on the RTÉ News Now app from 5.15pm.
Radio
Updates on RTÉ Radio 1.
TV
Live on TG4
Paths to the final
Cork are bidding to win the title for the first time since 1998 while Tipperary were last successful in 2010.
Cork are joined with Kilkenny at the top of the honour roll (11 titles). Tipperary are fourth with 9.
Cork
Cork 0-23 Waterford 1-17
Cork 2-23 Tipperary 1-13 (Munster final)
Cork 3-26 Wexford 0-13 (All-Ireland semi-final)
Tipperary
Tipperary 1-23 Limerick 1-13
Cork 2-23 Tipperary 1-13 (Munster final)
Tipperary 3-17 Galway 1-17 (All-Ireland semi-final)
Historic Munster match-up
This is the first year that the U21 championship has departed from the traditional 'four-provincial winners in the semi-finals' format.
As a result, Galway and Antrim competed in Leinster at this grade for the first time, finally following in the footsteps of their senior counterparts, who have been doing so for a decade.
An amendment to the original motion at last year's special GAA congress provided that the Munster winners would face the Leinster runners-up in the semi-finals and vice-versa.
After their convincing win over Tipperary in the Munster decider, Cork were even more impressive in sweeping aside Wexford.
Tipp, who knocked out reigning champions Limerick in their first game, bounced back from provincial disappointment to beat Galway in an explosive clash.
And so, for the first time, we have an All-Ireland U21 final featuring two teams from the same province.
Same old story?
It's scarcely believable that a county as decorated as Cork have been waiting 20 years for a title at this level.
The Rebels are stacked with established senior talent like Mark Coleman, Darragh Fitzgibbon and skipper Shane Kingston while Robbie O'Flynn and Tim O’Mahony also got a run in John Meyler's side this summer.
Tipperary's Paudie Feehan, Jake Morris and Ger Browne are not yet as established at senior level though there will be much interest in the performance of full-back Brian McGrath, the younger brother of Premier stars Noel and John.
Given that they thumped Tipp just seven weeks ago, the danger for Cork may be assuming that collecting the title is a mere formality.
Watch Full-time Highlights as @OfficialCorkGAA beat @TipperaryGAA to win the @MunsterGAA Under 21 Hurling Final 2018 pic.twitter.com/1f82biPHEi
— The GAA (@officialgaa) July 4, 2018
Manager Denis Ring is determined that complacency won't be an issue and expects a much tougher test in Limerick.
"This is a totally different game, it will stand on its own merits and a lot has happened since that game," he told RTÉ Sport.
"Tipperary brought in five different personnel for their All-Ireland semi-final, they beat a Galway team that beat them in the corresponding minor championship three years ago.
"Very few teams can bring in five players like that and that can have such an impact, but we must remember that they played in the 2015 and '16 All-Ireland minor finals, winning 2016. They have a pool of players to draw from."
Tipperary manager Liam Cahill, an All-Ireland winner in 2001 and contender to replace the departed Michael Ryan, expects the desire to atone for the Munster drubbing to motivate his charges.
"We played reasonably well against Galway but when we meet Cork we have to go back to the Munster final to right the wrongs," he told RTÉ Sport.
"We will try to draw as much constructive hope from that to bridge the gap from the Munster final. We are really looking for this team to perform."
"Tipp had a great win against Galway in the semi-final and they had a great win against Limerick in their first round of the Championship. That Limerick team had Kyle Hayes and Seamus Flanagan and lots of those lads.
"So I wouldn’t be fully writing off Tipperary but I just think that there are class players in that Cork team. They’re really, really strong, they’re household names already and 20 years without a win.
"I just think that Cork will be too strong for them, but I do think expect the gap to be much tighter than the 13 points we saw last July."
Team news
Tipperary have selected the same XV that beat Galway in the semi-final. Cork have made one change from their handsome semi-final win over Wexford, with David Griffin returning to full back as Ger Millerick is shifted back to midfield with John Cashman making way.
Tipperary: Barry Hogan; Eoghan Connolly, Brian McGrath, Killian O’Dwyer; Podge Campion, Robert Byrne, Dillon Quirke; Ger Browne, Stephen Nolan; Colin English, Jerome Cahill, Paudie Feehan; Jake Morris, Mark Kehoe, Cian Darcy.
Cork: Ger Collins; David Lowney, David Griffin, Niall O’Leary; Eoghan Murphy, Mark Coleman, Billy Hennessy; Ger Millerick, Darragh Fitzgibbon; Robbie O’Flynn, Declan Dalton, Shane Kingston; Liam Healy, Tim O’Mahony, Jack O’Connor.
Weather
Sunday will be mostly cloudy and cool with occasional outbreaks of rain, again with low cloud and hill mist. Moderate south or southwest winds. For more see met.ie
