The form book gives cause for wariness. Tipperary defeated Limerick comfortably in the quarterfinal. Cork defeated Clare comfortably in the semi-final. Then Clare destroyed Limerick in Ennis last Sunday. On the face of it, the sums suggest that Tipp have little chance. Fortunately hurling isn't all mathematics. Tipperary and Cork have provided us with great games in Thurles down the decades and may well do so again today.

While the visitors, the reigning provincial and All Ireland champions, are the reddest of red-and-white hot favourites, Tipperary do have a couple of things in their favour. The first is the venue. Home advantage is precisely that: an advantage for the underdogs. I fully accept that Cork enjoy playing at Semple Stadium. But Cork, being Cork, would say that anyway. It's part of what helps make them so successful.

On the field it's harder to discern where Tipp hold many advantages. On a player-byplayer comparison, the scales are tilted in Cork's favour. At least Tipp have Brendan Cummins, a supreme shotstopper and the county's best man in the position since Tony Reddin, the goalkeeper of the century. On the other hand, the presence of Cummins may not be all that important today. Cork are not a goalscoring team. Not only that, they don't pretend to be a goalscoring team.

Points are more their modus operandi.

Point after point after point. So I don't envisage Cummins being overstretched whereas Tipperary in contrast will need to really work Donal Og Cusack. The underdogs will probably have to score at least two goals if they're to win.

They may have the full-forward line to do so. Eoin Kelly is the most in-form player in the land, Lar Corbett showed a clean pair of heels to the Waterford defence when coming on and scoring the crucial goal in the semi-final and Diarmaid Fitzgerald's conversion from defender to forward has worked well to date. Fitzgerald is a good ball-winner, particularly in the air, and can run at the opposition defence and lay off the sliotar. That's an approach that will discomfit any back line. Kelly and Corbett have the potential to fare well as long as they're provided with a healthy supply of possession. Easier said than done, obviously.

Talking of back lines, the challengers have rejigged theirs. Gone is Philip Maher, who has become Tipperary's equivalent of Darragh Ryan . . . both splendid full-backs, both plagued by injuries.

Tough as it undoubtedly is on the Borrisoleigh man, the move is a good one;

sticking with Maher was hardly a realistic option going forward into the All Ireland series while the significance of Paul Ormonde's (right) return shouldn't be underestimated. Ormonde was an important cog in the 2001 All Irelandwinning team, is strong and mobile and as a former forward has plenty of hurling.

He's potentially a major addition for Tipp.

In front of Ormonde on the half-back line are Conor O'Mahoney and Hugh Moloney. The jury is still out on these two. At the same time, the task before them is far from an impossible one. Yes, they're facing the best team in the land, but they're not facing the best set of forwards or even the best set of half-forwards. It's a reasonably benign grounding for the Tipperary duo. They have no cause to be afraid. Ronan Curran grew into the role on Cork's half-back line three years ago. O'Mahoney and Moloney have a similar opportunity here.

The burning question of the day isn't whether Tipp can match the Cork halfback line and midfield, it's whether they can curb them and if so to what extent.

We're talking damage limitation here, as we have to be on the basis of what Tipp did and didn't do in this area against Waterford. They didn't do much, frankly; no fewer than four of their five starting midfielders and halfforwards were substituted, including all three members of the half-forward line. That isn't an encouraging sign.

Shane McGrath did well against Limerick and not so well against Waterford. Alongside him today, Paul Kelly must show leadership and the form he displayed last year if Tipperary are to cope at midfield. They have to find some formula in order to win. It can be done.

Two years ago, a Wexford team viewed by everyone as no-hopers beat a Kilkenny side going for an All Ireland three-ina-row. This year, Cork are going for three in a row and nearly everyone views Tipp as no-hopers. There is a parallel.

Given the county's proud history, Tipperary have no reason to enter the fray with an inferiority complex. They'll have the aforementioned home advantage. They'll be urged on by a passionate following. Now they must show pride and intelligence and be prepared to produce a supreme effort. This is a day for Tipp to strike a blow for the heart and soul of hurling.

Having said all that, Cork to win.