In recent seasons, the top tier hurling league decider has proven to be a more compelling contest than its football equivalent.
The Kilkenny/Tipperary finals of 2009, '13 and '14 had many moments of quality that whetted the appetite for the white heat of championship. Yes, the 2012 final, where the Cats bossed Cork right from the off, was an exception. Kilkenny's period of domination has seen a few sides put to the sword on finals day.
And so to Sunday and the meeting of Cork and Waterford at Semple Stadium. It's the first instalment of an early summer rivalry that will continue when the sides meet in the Munster semi-final on 7 June.
Despite that, it's most unlikely we'll see any kind of shadow boxing this coming weekend. Both counties will be keen to win and will take much heart from the way they finished their semi-final to see off Dublin and Tipperary respectively.
Now in his fourth year of his second coming with the Rebels, Jimmy Barry Murphy's ultimate aim is to pick up Liam McCarthy come September. It's ten years since a Cork captain lifted the famous trophy beneath the Hogan Stand - too long a gap many Rebel fans would say.
Since then the county's silverware haul at senior level has consisted of two Munster titles ('06 & '14) and when you consider Cork's lack of success at under-age level in recent times, there is pressure on JBM to deliver a national title.
The nature of the win over Dublin the last day - when they came back from 12 points down - shows there is no lack of character in the current Cork side and their manager was quick to point out that afterwards.
Speaking to RTÉ Sport, Barry-Murphy said: "We showed a lot of guts to come back. The instruction was to peg it back bit by bit and we did that. We got over the line in the end. It was great game to be involved in."
For Waterford boss, Derek McGrath, expectations have soared during his second season in charge. He has given youth its chance, with the likes of Austin Gleeson, Stephen Bennett, Colin Dunford and Tadhg De Búrca stepping up to plate. De Búrca has been a real colossus in a Déise side that more often than not bullied sides this spring.
Limerick may have been favourites to emerge from Division 1B, but Waterford's never-say-die attitude saw them gain a point when the sides met at the Gaelic Grounds in the opening round. An indication of their intent right from the off.
McGrath has overseen success at college level and looks to have a template in place to have Waterford firmly back at the top table.
Reflecting on the semi-final win over Tipperary, McGrath told RTÉ Sport: "I just said, ‘we’re here now’, not that we’ve arrived, it’s too corny to say that, just happy to go toe to toe with a very good team."
It's 2007 since the county last won the league title. Two Munster successes and an All-Ireland final appearance have followed since and with much talk about the prospect for the U-21s this year, Déise supporters have reasons to be optimistic.
Down the road, Cork and Waterford will believe that they can have a say in the All-Ireland race this year, but before that they look set to serve up an intriguing appetiser to the many absorbing contests that are sure to lie ahead.
Paths to the final:
Cork - Division 1A
Round 1 - Cork 2-17 Kilkenny 1-22
Round 2 - Cork 1-24 Clare 0-17
Round 3 - Dublin 1-20 Cork 0-34
Round 4 - Galway 0-20 Cork 2-17
Round 5 - Cork 4-21 Tipperary 2-28
Quarter-final - Cork 0-18 Wexford 0-14
Semi-final - Cork 1-27 Dublin 2-23
Waterford - Division 1B
Round 1 - Limerick 2-16 Waterford 0-22
Round 2 - Waterford 3-21 Laois 0-12
Round 3 - Offaly 1-14 Waterford 2-18
Round 4 - Waterford 4-30 Antrim 1-10
Round 5 - Wexford 0-16 Waterford 0-22
Quarter-final - Waterford 0-20 Galway 0-12
Semi-final - Tipperary 2-15 Waterford 1-19
