Whatever happens on Sunday between Galway and Waterford, a hurling power will end an All Ireland trophy drought.
Both counties are looking to end waits of 29 and 58 years respectively and the novelty of it is adding to the occasion as former Tipperary star Tommy Dunne and The Sunday Times' Denis Walsh discussed on Off The Ball.
Both sides also bring different styles of play which have helped them to this point and that contrast will of course have to play out in one team's favour.
"It's interesting really the setup of finals because it seems to me that Galway are going to be the favourites going into the game and that there's possibly more pressure on Galway going into the All Ireland final because of the favourites tag," he said.
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"So to me, it's set up that Galway have to kind of overcome the Waterford style. Now, that mightn't be the way it pans out at all but like the beauty of it from a Waterford point of view is that they know exactly what Galway have, how Galway play, who their danger men are, where they did the damage against Tipperary and I think that suits Waterford in a major way to be honest with you because they do keep it very tight at the back. They'd have a lot of numbers behind the half back line and they're going to put a lot of pressure on Galway to see what Galway can come up with early on. And if Galway don't have the answers early on, then Waterford will grow in confidence. So all of a sudden, maybe Waterford have a slight advantage."
Waterford manager Derek McGrath ©INPHO/Ken Sutton
And when it comes to predicting the result on Sunday, Dunne is tipping Galway for glory.
"Because I think their time is now. I haven't seen a team playing better than them in the Championship so far and I think they have physicality and I think they have the balance right throughout their team to get the job done," he said.
"But Waterford have gone to a level that I didn't expect them to go to. So it probably will go to the wire."
Dunne also praised the composed way Waterford manager Derek McGrath and his players have gone about the year and the build up to the final.
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