It is vital that Cork win the Munster Senior Hurling final in order to avoid Kilkenny, according to Rebels star Seán Óg Ó hAilpín.
“The only way you can beat them is possibly in the All-Ireland final,” said Ó hAilpín. “There is a lot riding on it.”
Ó hAilpín believes the Munster final against Waterford will be a closely-fought contest.
“You have two teams with a lot of players who have played a lot of hurling over the last couple of years coming towards the end of the road,” he said. “It will be like two old boxers going at it.”