A new chapter in the storied history of the Cork versus Tipperary rivalry will be written on Sunday when the two great Munster rivals meet in championship action at Croke Park for the first time.

An attendance around the 60,000 mark is predicted as both teams go head-to-head with a place opposite Kilkenny in this year's All-Ireland SHC final at stake.

Jimmy Barry-Murphy's Rebels have made all the running so far this year in securing wins over Waterford (after a replay), All-Ireland champions Clare and Limerick in the Munster SHC decider (2-24 to 0-24).

After exiting the provincial race for the second year running to Limerick, Tipperary got their season back on track with qualifier wins over Galway and Offaly before scoring a 2-23 to 0-16 victory over Dublin in the last eight.

Even the bookies are finding it difficult to separate these two evenly-match teams and it could boil down to a straight shoot-out between Patrick Horgan and Seamus Callanan.

Horgan has helped himself to 2-41 in the Rebels' four matches to date while Premier County danger man Callanan has 5-34 to his name.

With a first provincial medal in his back-pocket, Horgan is keen to add to his collection in the coming weeks: "We had to win that game (the Munster final). We had to do something to get a bit of silverware.

"I was never on a Cork senior team that had won a trophy so it was good to see all the supporters coming onto the field. I lost where I was on the field, there were so many people there.

"It was just brilliant to see [Pa Cronin] lifting the cup. From then on, it means nothing to us because we want something bigger. We had the night and we enjoyed it, but since then it's been trying to be 100 per cent for Tipp."

By his own admission, Tipp manager Eamon O'Shea wasn't overly pleased with his side's performance against Dublin, despite their 13-point winning margin, and Cork get the vote to book a return to the Liam McCarthy Cup showpiece.

Verdict - Cork.

Cork team: Anthony Nash; Shane O'Neill, Damien Cahalane, Stephen McDonnell; Christopher Joyce, Mark Ellis, Lorcan McLoughlin; Daniel Kearney, Aidan Walsh; Conor Lehane, Bill Cooper, Seamus Harnedy; Alan Cadogan, Patrick Cronin, Patrick Horgan.

Tipperary team: Darren Gleeson; Cathal Barrett, Paudie Maher, Paddy Stapleton; Brendan Maher, James Barry, Kieran Bergin; Shane McGrath, James Woodlock; Gearóid Ryan, Patrick Maher, John O'Dwyer; Noel McGrath, Seamus Callanan, Lar Corbett.

Match details: Sunday, Croke Park, 3.30pm.

Referee: James Owens (Wexford).

Odds: Cork evens, Draw 10/1, Tipperary evens. Tweet

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