This match sees a repeat of the 2000 County Hurling Final, which Newtown won narrowly to take their first County Senior Championship title.

Two years on and both teams have lost a number of key players from that day. For Erins Own, the Corcoran brothers John and Brian along with Frank Horgan are no longer involved, while for Newtown, John Griffin, Donal Mulcahy and Ian Kelleher who formed the back bone of the 2000 team have not played so far this year.

Erins Own will go into this game full of confidence having beaten favourites and near neighbours Cloyne in the previous round. On that day Cloyne had no answer to a watertight defence, in which Timmy Kelliher, Cian O'Connor and Tony O'Keeffe didn't put a foot wrong and up-front they had speed on the inside line that Cloyne couldn't cope with.

Players like Thomas O'Leary, Kieran Murphy and Seam Dunne that were possibly overawed in 2000 by the big occasion, now find themselves with the experience of playing in big games, none more so that the All- Ireland Minor success of last year in Croke Park.

Their success at under age level over the past few years is phenomenal with back to back County Minor titles, so it comes as no surprise that the vast majority of their team for Sunday will be under 21.

This team will surely reach the pinnacle of Cork Hurling, but the big question is will it be this year ?

Newtown come off the back of a facile victory over "the once mighty" Midleton. They were a pale shadow of themselves on that night with 90% of the game a mere training exercise for the North Cork men.

That said, Newtown did all that was asked of them on the night, getting back on track after a less than convincing first round victory over Sarsfields. On that night, had Sarsfields taken their chances it would have been a different result.

So, Which performance are we most likely to see next Sunday night ?

The return of the Cork contingent to the panel certainly seems to have made a big difference. There is no doubt that Pat Mulcahy, Ben and Jerry O'Connor are now the backbone of this team. Pat commands the backs while Jerry is the engine around the middle of the park, with Ben the scorer in chief.

Training has gone well, although there is a major doubt surrounding the fitness of Gerry O'Connor due to a hamstring injury that has plagued him all year.

A source close to the team has indicated that it's about 50/ 50 at this stage.

You can expect to see last year's cork minor full back, Cian O'Connor, who put the shackles on Diarmuid O'Sullivan last Saturday night, attempt to so a similar job on Ben O'Connor this time. If this is successful it will go along way to seeing Erins Own's progress to the next round.

However, I believe Newtown, given the right mental attitude can progress.

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