Tomorrow, Croke Park, 3.30pm, (Ref: James McGrath, Westmeath)
Latest from the medics and management…Kilkenny have sprung a surprise with two attacking changes. Brian Cody is clearly looking to enhance their offensive return by stationing newcomer Walter Walsh at full-forward while Cillian Buckley plays at right half-forward. Aidan Fogarty and Colin Fennelly do not make the cut yet their presences do strengthen the bench.
KILKENNY SH: 1. David Herity (Dunamaggin); 2. Paul Murphy (Danesfort), 3. JJ Delaney (Fenians), 4. Jackie Tyrrell (James Stephens); 5. Tommy Walsh (Tullaroan), 6. Brian Hogan (O’Loughlin Gaels), 7. Kieran Joyce (Rower-Inistioge); 8. Michael Fennelly (Ballyhale Shamrocks), 9. Richie Hogan (Danesfort); 10. Cillian Buckley (Dicksboro), 11. Richie Power (Carrickshock), 12. Eoin Larkin (James Stephens); 13. TJ Reid (Ballyhale Shamrocks), 14. Walter Walsh (Tullogher-Rosbercon), 15. Henry Shefflin (Ballyhale Shamrocks).
There are no changes to the Galway team but the key issue is the fitness of goalkeeper James Skehill after the shoulder injury he incurred last night. Will it be a risk to start him?
GALWAY SH: 1. James Skehill (Cappataggle); 2. Johnny Coen (Loughrea), 3. Kevin Hynes (Sarsfields), 4. Fergal Moore (Turloughmore); 5. Niall Donoghue (Kilbeacanty), 6. Tony Og Regan (Rahoon-Newcastle), 7. David Collins (Liam Mellows); 8. Iarlaith Tannian (Ardrahan), 9. Andy Smith (Portumna); 10. David Burke (St. Thomas), 11. Niall Burke (Oranmoe-Maree), 12. Cyril Donnellan (Padraig Pearses); 13. Damien Hayes (Portumna), 14. Joe Canning (Portumna), 15. James Regan (St. Thomas).
Checking the odds…Kilkenny are the strong favorites at 1/2 with Galway available at 11/5. The odds of another draw between this pairing is priced at 11/1 while the handicap betting has Kilkenny (-3) available at evens. Joe Canning is 5/1 to again be the first goalscorer while Henry Shefflin is the favorite to raise Kilkenny’s first green flag at 7/1.
Clues from the form guide…When the Galway management faced the press after the drawn encounter three weeks ago, they were keen to stress how much they had gained from the experience of All-Ireland final day. Selector Tom Helebert lead the way in that regard and given that only David Collins, Tony Óg Regan and Damien Hayes from the starting fifteen – and Niall Healy who was an unused substitute – had featured in the county’s decider in 2005, it was a salient point.
The current side have now all sampled All-Ireland final day but will that soothe their nerves? For instance will it allow David Burke and Cyril Donnellan to overcome quiet displays in the last game and capture the blinding form of earlier this summer? In addition there is the matter of the terrific start that Galway made to the game but were unable to maintain and Niall Burke’s second-half goal was a critical strike in vaulting them back into contention.
Kilkenny again started slowly against Galway and again shipped an early goal to Galway that sent the spirits of the Tribesmen supporters soaring. The key difference in the drawn game in comparison to the Leinster final was that Galway were not out of sight by the interval. Kilkenny notched a few vital points before the break and by the second-half there were signs that they had come to terms with the challenge that Galway posed.
The game breakers are…The significant question with this replay is who has the greater scope for improvement. In that regard Kilkenny have a few players who will be unhappy with the standards they set in the drawn game. Henry Shefflin was their obvious talisman in helping chip away at Galway’s advantage while defenders Brian Hogan and Paul Murphy had terrific displays towards the finish. The class of JJ Delaney, Tommy Walsh, Richie Power and Eoin Larkin is undoubted and they will seek to dominate to a greater extent.
Kilkenny’s team selection is bold and imaginative. They will want to set the terms of engagement early and that could involve utilizing the size and heft of Walter Walsh who will be a different kind of test for Kevin Hynes. Walsh’s presence could free Eoin Larkin into a more comfortable role while a switch between Cillian Buckley and Richie Hogan also looks on the cards.
One of the success stories for Galway in the drawn game was the marvelous form of Iarla Tannian. Kilkenny were surprisingly outfought in that sector with Michael Fennelly a peripheral figure but there is a strong sense that there is a big performance in him. Kilkenny will seek to establish an early foothold in that sector while they must try to ensure the speed of defenders Johnny Coen, Niall Donoghue and Fergal Moore does not prove problematic for their forwards to overcome.
Gazing into the crystal ball…Galway once more enter this match in the role of outsiders despite having proved again that they are capable of providing a strong challenge for Kilkenny. The concern is what will happen if they do not manage to get the tonic of a positive start with Joe Canning goals having inspired them in their last two clashes. The importance of shutting up shop in the opening stages will surely have played on Brian Cody’s mind in recent weeks.
If they can achieve that and grow to dictate the game, they have the big game nous to settle the issue. Galway have made enormous strides this year and they also have players who will be eager to atone for their below-par showings the last day. But Kilkenny’s attack has the greater capacity for improvement, Fogarty and Fennelly are lethal weapons they can unleash from the bench and the doubt over Skehill is another worry that Galway would have preferred to avoid.
Verdict…Kilkenny
