Hurling Analyst: Even after winning the All-Ireland, Cork were very hurt by the Munster final defeat against Waterford and the manner in which they were beaten. They were stronger as a team because of that last year and I think they will be stronger because of it this weekend.

Cork are front runners for this year's All-Ireland. They are the defending champions and won the title by nine points in the final. People are looking at the National League and Kilkenny's performances but the league trophy is on someone's mantelpiece and won't be looked at until they're taking photographs at the end of the year.

For all the talk about Kilkenny being tired in last year's All-Ireland final, they were beaten by a better team - a team that could have beaten them a year before.

Cork are still the standard bearers and I expect them to win tomorrow.

The only change they make from last year's All-Ireland final is to bring in Pat Mulcahy for the injured Wayne Sherlock, but that still leaves a strong defence. He's no stranger to championship hurling and held DJ Carey scoreless in an All-Ireland final.

The half backs are exceptional. Ronan Curran's the best centre back around and Seán Óg Ó hAilpín is hurler of the year and will be very focused this year as captain.

John Gardiner's delivery into the forwards has been the most improved aspect of his game since he moved back from midfield.

But the sector that won it for Cork last year was midfield. Tom Kenny and Jerry O'Connor have great pace and their willingness to overlap and create the extra man by running off the ball was crucial to the team's success. If Waterford are going to win, they'll have to stop Cork running.

And Waterford are the only team in Munster likely to upset Cork. They have exciting players and showed great spirit in last year's game. But they also have injury worries.

Paul Flynn's ligament damage is hard to call but I'm inclined to think Ken McGrath will play.

McGrath has recovered from his shoulder injury and whether he plays is all about match practice but he's as well off starting as coming into the game off the bench.

I wouldn't be sure about position but I believe he will start.

It's a big move to ask Fergal Hartley to come out of retirement and fill the full back berth that gave trouble last year.

To miss a whole championship and come back at 33 or 34 years of age to play in a new position is asking a lot.

One advantage he has is that he'll be marking Brian Corcoran and speed isn't a major factor in his game.

If you had someone like Ben O'Connor, who has pace to burn, or a small, nippy forward who can turn on a tuppence, like Joe Deane, Hartley would be in more trouble.

But he's very strong in the air, has always been an out-and-out backs man and is used to playing in a central role.

I think Cork have two distinct advantages. They have unusual motivation because it's the first time a Munster team has been All-Ireland champions without being provincial champions. They obviously want to win the All-Ireland again but they also want the Munster title.

The other thing is that I can't see them making the same mistakes they made last year, like switching Gardiner onto Dan Shanahan at the start.

By half-time they had to move Seán Óg back and he cleaned him in the second half.

I don't think this will be as open as last year but we should see the standard rising on last week's drawn Tipperary-Limerick match.

In this evening's replay I think Limerick will be looking forward to finishing the job. Last week's match will have brought them on a good bit and helped ease the doubts caused by not having won a championship match in four years.

Limerick players like Stephen Lucey and Conor Fitzgerald have the opportunity to grow a little more into their positions and settle themselves.

Tipperary were definitely the more relieved team of the two but where are they going to find a new game in the space of four or five days? It's a big ask. Worries over Eoin Kelly haven't helped either, as he's a pivotal player for them.

In Thurles Tipperary looked like a team with no confidence from the goalie out. Usually Brendan Cummins is rushing to get the ball pucked out and changing his hurl straight away. Last Sunday the team played as if they were already resigned to the qualifiers.

I think Limerick will be harder to beat and providing they keep their feet on the ground the draw will stand to them more than it will to Tipp, who have too many holes to plug.