Back in 2009 we played Kilkenny in a league final. Both teams were in good form, the two standout sides in the country.
What transpired was a match for the ages played in front of a crowd in the region of 17,000 at Semple Stadium.
Fast-forward 17 years to round three of this year's Allianz Hurling League and that attendance figure will be put into the shade somewhat when All-Ireland champions Tipperary roll into Leeside in a repeat of last July’s showpiece final with a crowd of around 25,000 expected to file through the turnstiles.
Such is the following that this Cork group has right now, they are keeping the GAA running smoothly with their championship games alone and Saturday night at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh will be a further indicator of how much the Rebel supporters want and yearn for this group of players to be successful.
Ben O’Connor’s mission to return Liam MacCarthy to the banks of the Lee for the first time in 21 years, but with great expectation comes great pressure and how you react to that pressure will be how you are judged in the long term.
Many of you reading this may well be thinking, 'calm down Shane, it’s only February’, but this is my take on it: Tipp don’t have to win, but Cork cannot afford to lose. The reasons are as plain as day, I don’t need to outline them.
No motivation will be or should be required this week from O’Connor. Even if he gathered them in a circle in the dressing room pre game, gave each and every player that death stare which he has - and I love by the way - and simply uttered the words, ‘Let’s go’, that alone should be enough for doors to be blown off the hinges.
If you are in a Cork top and you need extra motivation to play this game, it’s best to just hand back the gear and say ‘this isn’t for me’. The Cork players have been waiting for this opportunity since around 5pm on 20 July, 2025.
With that in mind, I expect Cork to play their full hand. They had a good win against Galway in Salthill and brought in the big guns to get the job done. They duly delivered.
The manner of the victory, after a sluggish opening quarter, will be something that they may reference throughout the year. We did in 2008 when we went up there and got a draw. I know the Limerick group in 2018 had a mighty victory up there against all the odds and it fuelled their belief for ultimate success that year.
The Rebels however were lucky to end the game with 15 players and I’m not just talking about the Mark Coleman incident with Cathal Mannion in the opening minutes of the contest.
When you talk about instilling confidence into a group, it boils down to winning; winning games regardless of the time of year or what is a stake. Tipp won’t roll over and have their bellies tickled. Far from it, they too will want to send out a message as All-Ireland champions.
Will Tipp play a sweeper? It will be very interesting to see how that plays out but I would have my doubts.
I also think Liam Cahill will play a strong team, but this is the ideal opportunity to look at a few players in what is as close to championship as you can get this early and see if they have the stuff when the pressure comes on.
Cork have been waiting and wanting this match for months. When the fixtures came out, they must have targeted this particular game in the calendar.
There is a magical feeling of expectation around it.
Who’ll win? It’s not vital for Tipp, but the hosts simply can’t lose this one.
Saturday night lights, magic awaits.
Watch Cork v Tipperary in the Allianz Hurling League on Saturday from 7pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player. Follow a live blog on the RTÉ News App and on rte.ie/sport. Listen to Saturday Sport on RTÉ Radio 1
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