Cork U21 manager Denis Ring is hoping to have star forward Declan Dalton available for selection ahead of Sunday's All-Ireland final encounter with Tipperary, with the Fr. O'Neills sharpshooter stretchered off with a leg injury during his sides semi-final victory over Wexford.

"We're doing everything possible to get Declan right. We're optimistic, we will be naming him and giving him every opportunity and we'll a final call on that on the Saturday but you know he's a great guy, great leader for us on the field and off the field and we'd be very hopeful."

Ring also gave a positive update on the fitness of David Griffin and Daire Connery who are both carrying injuries ahead of the final.

"David Griffin who missed the Wexford game, he got injured in an A vs B before the Limerick senior game, he's making good progress, we're hoping that he'll be back as well and Daire Connery picked up a club injury in his knee and again these guys are going to need the week but we're hopefully going to name them and hopefully all works through and they come through."

Ring does not believe that the Munster final, where Cork cruised to a 13-point victory over Sunday's opponents will be of any relevance and prefers to compare Tipperary's Munster semi-final performance, where they overcame reigning champions Limerick, who were backboned by senior stars Kyle Hayes and Seamus Flanagan.

"No relationship at all to this game. Totally different game. What I'm more looking into is Tipp beat Limerick in the Munster semi-final and Limerick had 12 of the 24 that won the All-Ireland last year and from that perspective when you look last Sunday at Seamus Flanagan, Peter Casey, Kyle Hayes and these guys, Tipp had them beaten out the gate, quarter of an hour, 20 minutes into their semi- final so that's the performance I'm looking at and more wary of to be honest with you as well as their performance against Galway as opposed to maybe a blip in their standards against us."

Cork feature several senior stars such as Mark Coleman, Darragh Fitzgibbon and team captain Shane Kingston who featured in the senior semi-final defeat to Limerick but Ring praised his players for attending the recovery session the Monday after the Limerick defeat.

Cork's Declan Dalton receives treatment during his side's clash with Wexford 

"That match was on a Sunday and on the Monday evening we had a recovery session in Cork and they all showed up to a man so that shows the statement
of intent from their perspective. It was an optional session for them to come back into but they all came so we were going to be playing Wexford on the following Saturday so these guys had no difficulty coming back so where their heads are and where their focus is, is not in doubt.

What was reassuring for them and it was hugely disappointing not to have won the game but what must have been reassuring for them is they all played
well and made good contributions so you know players take that from matches too and they could build on that and take confidence from that."

Ring believes this game will go right down to the wire and is hoping his side can push on when the game is in the melting pot heading into the closing stages.

"I'm optimistic that they'll stick to the plan and stick to the process and deliver a performance, but I do know this is going to be a one point game, coming down the home straight there is going to be nothing in this game and from that perspective I've confidence in our lads that they can drive on and deliver the performance when it's needed most."

Ring was speaking at the 2018 Bord Gáis Energy GAA Hurling U-21 All-Ireland Championship Final Preview in Cahir House Hotel.

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