Three All-Ireland finals in five days - Cork start quest for remarkable hat-trick
Cork U-20 manager Pat Ryan. Photo by Ben McShane/Sportsfile
After a Covid outbreak and two re-fixtures, Galway and Cork will finally get to decide the 2021 All-Ireland U-20 title on the field of play today.
An issue in the Cork squad saw the game pushed back from its original August 7 date, then the GAA added a further 24-hour delay to allow for the drafting of the statutory instrument required for hosting larger attendances at games. It has also since emerged that Galway had a number of cases of their own in their panel.
It all means that neither side has tasted competitive action since the weekend of July 27/28, and they also have to wrestle with the effect the illness can have on players’ energy levels, so both teams are stepping into the unknown to some extent. However, they can also point to some impressive form in getting to this stage.
Galway beat Dublin in the Leinster final, having already seen off Kilkenny, while Cork trumped Limerick in the Munster decider just a week after putting 3-20 on Tipperary in their Munster semi-final.
There’s an undeniable momentum to hurling in Cork just now, with this the first of three All-Ireland finals they’ll contest inside just five days. The minors and seniors are also on the hunt for silverware this week.
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However, Galway have their own thing going at age-grade hurling, too. They will contest the minor final with the Rebels on Saturday, which sees them going for a five-in-a-row. They already set a record by becoming the first county to win four in a row at the grade when claiming the 2020 competition earlier this year.
It means Jeffrey Lynskey’s squad are packed with players who have already tasted All-Ireland glory but despite winning regularly at minor level, they have not managed to win at the U-20/21 grade in a decade. They look to have plenty of talent capable of changing that. John Cooney, son of former All-Star Joe, scored a brilliant goal in that game.
Cork manager Pat Ryan’s preparations for this campaign have been hampered somewhat, as he had to balance the successful conclusion of the 2020 campaign earlier this year with readying the 2021 crop for action. He also had Brian Hayes and Jack Cahalane on dual duty at this level for the county before they bowed out at the All-Ireland semi-final stage to would-be champions Offaly.
Despite that, it feels like Cork are producing strong lines of talent and they can claim the first leg of what could be a remarkable hat-trick.
All-Ireland U-20 HC final Cork v Galway (winner on the day), Semple Stadium, 7.30, live TG4 Ref: J Murphy (Limerick)
Verdict: Cork
