Three key battles that will decide the All-Ireland hurling semi-final between Limerick and Kilkenny

Where will the game be won and lost?

With a place in the All-Ireland hurling final up for grabs, we take a look at the key match-ups that will decide who will advance to a date in September and who will be free to put their feet up for the rest of the year. Limerick take on Kilkenny in a mouth watering encounter that is sure to have fans on the edge of their seats for the duration, but where will the game be won and lost? Here's where we think it will be decided.

Paul Murphy/Shane Dowling

It seems very likely that Brian Cody will partner the tenacious Paul Murphy with Limerick ace Shane Dowling in a bid to limit Dowling's influence on the game. Murphy has established himself as one of the leading corner backs in the country for the last number of years, even earning a Player of the Year nomination in 2012. Dowling is a vital cog to the Limerick offensive effort contributing vital points from play and being near flawless with his free-taking. The winner of this duel will go a long way towards helping their team advance to the final in September. Both are strong ball winners and it is difficult to see where either of these two players will have the advantage over the other.

Dowling will be a vital player for Limerick this weekend

Following the drawn game against Galway there were question marks surrounding Paul Murphy’s aerial ability due to his suffering at the hands of Jonathan Glynn. However he turned that around in the replay and won the aerial battle against the Galway giant. He is quick and deceptively strong which makes him a nightmare for many corner forwards. Dowling on the other hand is a magnificent hurler with all the skills required to make himself one of Limerick’s greats. He nailed 2-8 against Wexford last time out, with 2-4 of that coming from play. He has great strength despite his young age and he has been in flying form for the Munster champions this summer. Expect a fiery battle between the two of them.

Richie Hogan/Paul Browne or James Ryan

Richie Hogan has been outstanding for the Cats this season and he was instrumental in his county’s wins over Galway and Dublin in the Leinster championship. His vision and awareness in midfield is extremely impressive and he creates a lot of scores because of the quality ball he provides to his forwards.

Hogan in action in this year's Leinster Final against Dublin

The Limerick midfielders are both very hard working players but without the flair that Hogan possesses. However, they are an extremely effective partnership who work for each other and provide a decent link between defence and attack. Against Cork and Wexford the amount of ground the two of them covered was astounding, especially James Ryan who covered his full back line on more than one occasion. Hogan is such a vital player for Kilkenny that if they can shackle him, Limerick will have a great chance of winning the match. However, I think that Hogan is too good of a player to be marked effectively, therefore I think he and the energetic Conor Fogarty will have the edge in the middle of the park on Sunday. Ryan and Browne will try hard but I think that Kilkenny have too much quality (mainly in the shape of Hogan) around the middle third.

Kevin Downes/JJ Delaney

What is their left to say about JJ Delaney? He is truly one of the finest hurlers of his generation and still one of the best hurlers in the country. He will match-up against Limerick’s Kevin Downes, a forward who burst onto the scene but hasn’t really reached the heights expected of him yet.

JJ Delaney will be hoping to have the edge in his tussle with Kevin Downes

Delaney is probably one of the best man markers in hurling and since his shift to full-back he has become even more accomplished at robbing the ball from his opponents. Tommy Walsh said in an interview before that he had to get to the ball first and he used to struggle if his man got it first, but that is never an issue for Delaney who is just as comfortable defending from the front or the back. Downes stunned the hurling world with two goals on his championship debut against Waterford but he has not really driven on from there. He has all the skills required to be a top top hurler and yet he has disappointed fans a few times. However, he is a dangerous player around the 21 and if he gets the ball in his hand he is sure to take on Delaney and go for goal. JJ Delaney, on paper, has the advantage in this duel but Downes has the ability to cause major problems for the former Hurler of the Year.