Winning the match-up battle in determining final outcome

TIPPERARY v KILKENNY
Croke Park
Sunday 18th August
Throw-in @ 3.30pm
Referee: James Owens (Wexford)

A whole year's effort comes down to this, seventy minutes to determine if the Liam MacCarthy Cup will reside in Tipperary for the 28th time or for Kilkenny to extend their lead a top of the roll of honour with a 37th.
A pairing of the two traditionalists might not have been what was predicted by many at the start of the year but they are the ones that remain standing and few can speculate which way this game will go.
The margins are that tight where both sides could claim to have the edge over the other and ultimately it will come down to which side will impose their will on the other will determine whether it is Seamus Callanan or T.J. Reid will be climbing the steps of the Hogan Stand to collect the Cup shortly after 5.00pm on Sunday.
For Kilkenny, it is pretty simple, bring that ravenous hunger and intensity which brought an end to Limerick's reign in the semi-final and they'll be very hard to beat as Tipperary have struggled to overcome them in this mood over the last eleven years.
This might not be the star-laden Kilkenny team of the past but they still have the DNA of a Brian Cody prepared team of “determination, application, honesty and ambition” as he says himself and if they were to get over Tipperary once more, it would arguably by the 65-year-olds greatest of his twelve successes.
However, you would feel that Tipperary will offer a lot more questions of Kilkenny than what Cork and Limerick did in their last two games. Limerick were left utterly reliant on their inside forward line of Gillane, Mulcahy and Casey for their scores with their half forward line unable to get any traction in the running game from where to get long range chances.
Limerick still did get scoring chances in that 1-21 to 2-17 defeat, plenty of them but they shot fifteen wides and if Tipp are presented with them, they won't be as wasteful, and crucially they have an eye for goal in one on one situations.
Huw Lawlor had a fine game in that semi-final but it was made easier for him in that Aaron Gillane never tried to take him on despite winning plenty of possession and you'd feel in the same situation, Seamus Callanan won't be settling for just points as he targets a 35th championship goal, and an eighth in as many games this season.

 

The Tipperary team is as follows;

1. Brian Hogan - Lorrha-Dorrha
2. Cathal Barrett – Holycross-Ballycahill
3. Barry Heffernan - Nenagh Éire Óg
4. Ronan Maher - Thurles Sarsfields
5. Brendan Maher – Borris-Ileigh
6. Padraic Maher - Thurles Sarsfields
7. Séamus Kennedy – St. Mary’s
8. Noel McGrath - Loughmore-Castleiney
9. Michael Breen - Ballina
10. Dan McCormack – Borris-Ileigh
11. John O’Dwyer - Killenaule
12. Niall O’Meara – Kilruane MacDonaghs
13. Jason Forde - Silvermines
14. Séamus Callanan (Capt.) - Drom-Inch
15. John McGrath – Loughmore-Castleiney

16. Paul Maher – Moyne-Templetuohy
17. James Barry - Upperchurch-Drombane
18. Ger Browne - Knockavilla-Donaskeigh Kickhams
19. Robert Byrne - Portroe
20. Jerome Cahill – Kilruane MacDonaghs
21. Willie Connors - Kiladangan
22. Alan Flynn - Kiladangan
23. Mark Kehoe – Kilsheelan-Kilcash
24. Donagh Maher - Burgess
25. Jake Morris - Nenagh Éire Óg
26. Seán O’Brien – Newport

 

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