Pictures: St Finbarr's supporters get ready to cheer on Cork hurling today with five homegrown heroes on the panel

One of Cork’s most storied hurling clubs, the Barrs, has five players on the Cork hurling panel and two working in the backroom – and by the evidence of a turnout for a red and white send-off the participants in the Togher club’s street leagues, it has scores more in the pipeline to play for Cork in future years.

The boys and girls participating in the club’s competition got into their Cork gear and turned up at the club’s Neenan Park base on Friday to ensure the representatives of the club and the entire Cork team got a rousing send-off on their way to Croke Park for today's final against old Munster rivals, Tipperary.

Ace forward Brian Hayes, Ethan Twomey, William Buckley, Jack and Damien Cahalane will be in the squad for game while Pat Keane and Tomás Manning are in the back room.

St Finbarr’s Hurling Club chairperson, Diarmuid O’Meara, said the club was very proud of their representation in the team and the wider Cork effort. “They’re great servants to the Barrs and said all the players had come through the same street leagues which are still so popular with the club’s younger generation.

“They’re their heroes essentially, the current street leagues, the boys and girls, it’s great for the club to have so many involved, they’re an inspiration to the younger people in the Barrs.” 

Regarding the match itself, Diarmuid says he and his fellow Barrs colleagues are confident that the heartbreak of last year against Clare will be exchanged for jubilation following a tremendous season this year.

“It’s going to be a tight game – on form it has to be Cork, they have great form, they’ve done very well all year but, against Tipperary, their old Munster rivals, it’s going to be tight – Cork to win by a few points.” 

Diarmuid acknowledged that Cork had faded in some of the games earlier this Summer but he was sure that the firepower up front would be too much for Tipperary. “Our forward line looks very dynamic this year, they look like they have a good understanding together,” he added.

As the Cork hurlers head to Dublin, they needn’t strain their ears too much to hear a resounding ‘Up Cork’ cheer coming from the boys and girls of St Finbarr’s at Neenan Park.