There are two periods Tipperary will have to win if they’re to take down Kilkenny – the first 65 minutes and the crucial last five.
Subscribe here: http://bit.ly/2bgmFCU
●▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ஜ۩۞۩ஜ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬●
WATCH HERE LIVE░░▒▓██► http://bit.ly/2bgmFCU
WATCH HERE LIVE░░▒▓██► http://bit.ly/2bgmFCU
●▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ஜ۩۞۩ஜ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬●
Like the Dublin footballers, Kilkenny have developed the persona of a team that simply won’t be beaten.
You might be on top for the majority of the game, like Tipp were in February when they led Kilkenny by a point with full-time looming in the League.
But Kilkenny will still find a way as Kevin Kelly’s late brace of goals proved that day. Tipp players could be forgiven if they’d trudged off the Nowlan Park pitch wondering ‘what do we need to do to beat these guys?’
Tipp have only beaten Kilkenny once in nine Championship games since Brian Cody took the the reins in late 1998.
In that same period they’ve played 20 league games and Kilkenny have won 13, drawing another.
When the fat is in the fire Kilkenny always seem to come out on top, winning league finals in 2009 and 2014 after extra-time.
INPHO/Donall Farmer
Kilkenny's TJ Reid
Diarmuid Kirwan felt the scorn of Tipp fans for awarding the dubious penalty that turned the 2009 All-Ireland final in Kilkenny’s favour.
And Hawk-Eye did Tipp no favours in 2014 when it ruled that John O’Dwyer’s monstrous free sailed inches wide, meaning a replay instead of a Tipp win.
So Tipp should have won one or two more against Kilkenny. But they’ve also struggled in tight games generally and Galway edged them in a classic semi-final last year.
How Kilkenny cope with Tipp’s thrilling full-forward line will be crucial. So will the midfield battle, whoever plays there
What seems certain is that it will go to the wire. Take Tipp’s second-half meltdown in 2012 out of it and there’s just a point between the teams over five and a half Championship games since 2010. Kilkenny are the point ahead. As they should be again tonight.
Verdict: Kilkenny
Final analysis: The key battles
Joey Holden (Kilkenny) v Seamus Callanan (Tipperary)
INPHO/Ryan Byrne
Kilkenny goalkeeper Eoin Murphy and Joey Holden with Seamus Callanan of Tipperary
Ballyhale Shamrocks man Holden has nailed down the full-back role since JJ Delaney’s retirement.
He captained the Cats last year and is part of a defence that has kept three clean sheets this summer.
But there remains a question mark over Kilkenny’s full-back line generally and Tipp will provide them with their greatest test yet.
Powerful Callanan is a back to back AllStar with devastating ability and being held scoreless from play by Daithi Burke in the semi-final has surely stoked his fires.
Padraic Maher (Tipperary) v Walter Walsh (Kilkenny)
INPHO/Dan Sheridan
Kilkenny's Walter Walsh with Cathal Barrett and Padraic Maher of Tipperary
Walsh has established himself as a regular at right half-forward while Maher is on top form at left half-back.
Maher’s huge hit on Joe Canning in the semi-final summed up his aggression.
He is Tipp’s talisman and also played at wing-back when they beat Kilkenny in 2010.
He’s in the running for Hurler of the Year though Walsh could be too with a big display.
And the big Cat proved in 2012 with 1-3 that he can light up an All-Ireland final.
James Barry (Tipperary) v Colin Fennelly (Kilkenny)
INPHO/Lorraine O'Sullivan
Kilkenny's Colin Fennelly and James Barry of Tipperary
Colin Fennelly is a huge talent that often frustrates Kilkenny fans.
He is best when going for goals and pilfered two in the semi-final replay win over Waterford but his point taking definitely needs to improve.
Still, if he’s stationed at full-forward as expected the speedster will only have goals on his mind again.
Barry has shown strong form at full-back for Tipp and will be a formidable opponent.
