Kilkenny v Tipperary Sunday 3.30 pm (Live on RTE 2)
The day of reckoning has finally arrived and Brian Cody’s wonderful Kilkenny team have the opportunity to end the debate as to the greatest hurling, and indeed, GAA team of all time.
The names of the likes of Henry Shefflin, Tommy Walsh, JJ Delaney and Eddie Brennan are already guaranteed to go down as some of the greatest the game has ever seen and it would be fitting if their legacy could be enhanced with an achievement that mightn’t even be countenanced again for generations.
Equally, however, there is always room in history for the party-poopers and Kilkenny fans should be advised to remember the name of Seamus Darby before brandishing their five-in-a-row flags or singing their ill-advised five-in-a-row songs (see below).
Darby was, of course, the Offaly man who denied the great Kerry team of the 70s and 80s their own five-in-a-row triumph in 1982 and there is every chance that an Eoin Kelly, a Lar Corbett or a Shane McGrath will be remembered in similar circumstances in years to come.
The good thing about this Kilkenny team, however, is that they don’t do complacency. As heavy as the burden of being the greatest team of all time undoubtedly is, it will sit easily on their shoulders. The Cats have won a remarkable 21 championship games on the trot and will rely heavily on the experience of those encounters if the going gets tough on Sunday, as it did in last year’s encounter.
JJ Delaney acknowledged earlier in the week that Tipp were the better team on that occasion and although an all-conquering county like Kilkenny might find it hard to find sources of motivation at the best of the times, you can guarantee that there will be a determination within the dressing room to ensure that it won’t happen again this time around.
A good start
If Tipperary are to win, or even go as close as last year, the opening exchanges will be crucial. Kilkenny have blown all their opponents so far this year out of the water by half-time. If Tipp are within touching distance at the break, or with 15 minutes to go, they’ll be in with a real shout.
What Tipp will also need to do is score goals. They’ve shown good form in that regard with six in the last two encounters against Waterford and Galway, but they are coming up against a miserly rearguard that have conceded only one goal in three games, and that was a somewhat scrappy effort from Galway’s Damien Hayes.
Tipp’s lethal full-forward line of Noel McGrath, Eoin Kelly and Lar Corbett are well capable of finding the net, but whether all three will be in the full-forward line is another matter. Noel McGrath flourished at centre-half against Waterford and may go out to the 40’ once again, while Liam Sheedy may opt to withdraw Lar Corbett into an inexperienced half-forward line containing fresh faces Gearóid Ryan and Patrick Maher.
Tommy Walsh’s contribution will be key once again on Sunday
The concern, of course, would be that against such battle-hardened opponents as Tommy Walsh (above), JJ Delaney and John Tennyson, that the Tipp half-forward line would suffer, but their youthful exuberance could be as much a blessing as a curse.
Sheedy may well be thinking that Kelly, McGrath and Corbett are better off inside rather than bothering themselves with trying to curb the influence of the aforementioned Kilkenny half-back line further out the pitch.
The big issue going into Sunday surrounds the participation, or lack thereof, of Henry Shefflin. How he is even in contention after suffering such a serious injury is something of a miracle, but whether or not he is on the pitch could have a massive difference.
Fully-fit or not, his presence alone inspires his team-mates, while the sight of Shefflin on the bench would be a massive fillip for Tipperary players and fans. Given his relationship with Cody over the years and the fact that he has actively participated in Kilkenny training in the build up to the encounter, he will probably start and give whatever he can before being withdrawn.
While it will do well to live up to the excitement of last year’s decider, Sunday’s game promises to be a fascinating encounter yet again. Whatever happens, history will be made at Croke Park on Sunday and it could go down as a final for the ages.
Liam Sheedy has named an unchanged side from the All-Ireland semi-final against Waterford. Injury doubts Henry Shefflin and John Tennyson have been included in a side that shows one change from the fifteen that defeated Cork in the semi-final. Tennyson replaces broken finger victim Brian Hogan at centre back, while James ‘Cha Fitzpatrick retains his place in midfield, with Michael Rice named on the bench.
Teams:
Kilkenny: PJ Ryan, John Dalton, Noel Hickey, Jackie Tyrrell, Tommy Walsh, John Tennyson, J.J. Delaney, James ‘Cha’ Fitzpatrick, Michael Fennelly, TJ Reid (captain), Henry Shefflin, Eoin Larkin, Eddie Brennan, Richard Power, Aidan Fogarty.
Tipperary: B Cummins; P Stapleton, P Curran, M Cahill; D Fanning, C O’Mahony, Pádraic Maher; B Maher, S McGrath; G Ryan, Patrick Maher, J O’Brien; N McGrath, E Kelly (captain), L Corbett.
Odds:
Kilkenny 2/5, Tipperary 9/4, Draw 12/1
JOE Prediction: Tipp will run them close, but Kilkenny look somewhat unstoppable and look set to fulfil their destiny on Sunday.
To find out what JOE reckons could be three make or break battles in Sunday’s encounter, click here.
To read JOE columnist Seán Óg ó hAilpÃn’s thoughts on the final, click here.
Check out what players Eddie Brennan and Lar Corbett and legends DJ Carey and Tommy Dunne had to say ahead of the final in our special video preview here.
