Limerick and Cork meet in the Munster U20 hurling championship final

LIMERICK and Cork meet the 2021 Munster U20 hurling championship final this Wednesday evening.

The provincial decider takes place in Cork's Pairc Ui Chaoimh and will be televised live on TG4 from 7.30.

There are two changes to the Limerick team from the line-up that defeated Clare in the semi final - details here

It's a first ever U20 final for Limerick since the grade was altered from U21 for the 2019 season.

Limerick will be seeking a ninth title and indeed are unbeaten in their last six final appearances in this grade.

It's a 20th Munster U20/21 hurling final for Limerick and a 12th against Cork. Limerick have won four of the previous finals against Cork including the last three deciders between this evening's finalists.

With Limerick final victories in 2017, 2011 and 2000, it's 1993 since The Rebels were final winners over the men from Shannonside in this grade.

Add in the three-in-a-row of 2000-02, it's 93 since any final defeat for a Limerick U21/U20 hurling side. 

That '93 was the only previous final between Limerick and Cork in Pairc Ui Chaoimh. Cork were 1-18 to 3-9 winners over a Limerick side that contained Joe Quaid, Dave Clarke, Owen O'Neill, James Moran, John Kiely and captain James Anthony Moran. Cork had Brian Corcoran, Alan Browne and Fergal McCormack in their winning team.

This evening Limerick play in their first final in this grade since the 2017 All-Ireland winning season under manager Pat Donnelly.

Cork appear in a fifth straight final and are the defending Munster and All-Ireland champions. Earlier this month Cork beat Dublin to win the delayed 2020 All-Ireland final and manager Pat Ryan and his selectors can call upon seven players who were involved win - Dáire O'Leary, Ciarán Joyce, Darragh Flynn, Pádraig Power, Cormac O'Brien, Brian Hayes and Jack Cahalane.

Shane Barrett and Alan Connolly are technically U20 as well but are ineligible as they played senior championship.

This evening, Limerick bring a team that is backboned by the 2019 and '20 Munster minor winning sides. Three years ago at minor level, Limerick played seven games - losing the Munster final to Tipperary and then failing to Galway and Kilkenny in a new-look quarter final group.

Captained by Jimmy Quilty, Limerick are able to call upon two senior panelists Cathal O'Neill and Colin Coughlan, who bid to make it a Munster title double on Leeside.

Limerick are managed by Diarmuid Mullins (Mungret St Pauls) with coaches-selectors: Richie Flannery, John Meskell (Ahane) and Tommy Quaid (Effin) and strength & conditioning coach Darragh Droog (Mungret St Pauls).

Albeit both teams are now much changed Limerick were 1-20 to 0-17 winners over Cork in a round robin group game in Pairc Ui Chaoimh in June of 2018.

The Munster champions move directly into the All-Ireland final against newly crowned Leinster champions Galway on the weekend of August 7-8.