Cork v Limerick: Three key questions that will decide Munster hurling final

How much will injuries impact Cork? 

Rob Downey is Cork's captain and an All-Star, Niall O'Leary has been the most consistent performer this year, Declan Dalton is a ball-winner and the team's long-range free-taker and Ger Millerick is the most adaptable defender in the squad. 

They're all marked absent from the starting 15 for Saturday night, though Downey and O'Leary have been deemed fit enough to make the bench.

Along with Limerick, Cork have the deepest squad in hurling but those are serious losses.

The Treaty badly missed Barry Nash and Peter Casey at Croke Park last July. It's difficult to see Cork getting out of TUS Gaelic Grounds with the Mick Mackey Cup with so many marquee hurlers missing.

What curveballs will be thrown?

The starting point for Cork will be a huge increase in work-rate and intensity. They were second-best from the throw-in last month. 

Limerick hurled with aggression, speed and purpose, to both negate Cork's long puck-outs that reaped such a reward last year and create oceans of space for their half-forward line of Gearóid Hegarty, Cian Lynch and Tom Morrissey to thrive.

Pat Ryan and his selectors will have to be more defensive-minded here and also get their match-ups right. 

Could Cork bring Mark Coleman back to track David Reidy, who likes to roam, releasing Eoin Downey to wing-back for Hegarty? Aidan O'Connor is in ahead of Shane O'Brien but will Seán O'Donoghue or Damien Cahalane pick up Aaron Gillane?

At the other end of the field, can debutant Diarmuid Healy's pace pin Barry Nash back? Could Cork shake it up with a two-man full-forward line instead of the usual three up top?

Can Limerick be beaten in a final?

Limerick have collected a staggering haul of five All-Irelands, six Munster titles and three leagues since 2018. They're gunning for seven in a row in the province this weekend, with the added bonus of home advantage, and their record in finals is incredible: 14 from 14. 

The only games they've lost that really mattered in that era of utter dominance were the 2019 All-Ireland semi-final, to Kilkenny, and last year against Cork.

In contrast, Cork's only final victory since they were back-to-back Munster champions in 2018 is the league decider against Tipp in the Páirc recently. They lost the 2022 league final, were hammered in the 2021 All-Ireland and beaten in extra time last season. 

This is their first Munster final in seven years, which highlights their inconsistency. 

Delivering on the big day will be a big ask.