GAA All-Ireland Hurling final: 'Limerick will find a way to write their names in the history books'

This is what it all comes down to. The biggest day of the hurling calendar. Every hurler in Ireland wants to play in this game but it will be the hurlers of Limerick and Kilkenny for a second consecutive year.

This is mouthwatering! The stakes are huge. Limerick are vying for a historic fourth successive title. It has only been achieved twice; by Kilkenny themselves from 2006 to 2009 and by Cork from 1941 to 1944.

Will the weight of history weigh heavy on Limerick or will they yet again live up to their favourites billing?

There was little to choose between these teams in last year's final, which Limerick won 1-31 to 2-26.

Played in blistering 27 degree heat, these hurling heavyweights served up a game for the ages; one of the all-time great final tussles in the modern era.

• How to watch and follow Kilkenny v Limerick on BBC Sport NI

That was of little consolation to the Cats, who haven't tasted All Ireland glory since 2015 - a famine for the men in black and amber. These two have already contested the Allianz League final (which Limerick won by 11 points) and are dominating their respective provincial competitions. There is no doubt in my mind we have the two top panels in the country competing for the biggest prize of all on Sunday.

Limerick have shown time and again that their panel has true depth; their recent semi-final victory over Galway without captain Declan Hannon and the long term injured Sean Finn was impressive, but winning last year's All-Ireland title without two-time Hurler of the Year Cian Lynch trumps that feat.

The big question for Limerick is: will centre-back leader Hannon be fit to lead the Treaty men into battle come Sunday after missing the semi-final?

Kilkenny have certainly improved from the team that narrowly lost out to Limerick last year. The centerfield pairing of Conor Fogarty and Adrian Mullen look right at home and are capable of bringing the physicality needed to match Darragh O'Donovan and William O'Donoghue.

This is one of the key match-ups for me. Limerick have dominated the middle section in the clutch periods of the big games in recent history and Kilkenny will be conscious of this.

Cian Kenny and Padraig Walsh will be among the Kilkenny substitutes on Sunday having started last year's final, a testament to the improvement of this group. Eoin Cody has matured into one of the most dangerous and robust inside forwards in the game and Sunday's outcome may well dictate the hurler of the year for 2023 if Cody or his opposite number Aaron Gillane set Croke Park alight.

The star of the show and deserving man of the match award winner from last year's final was Gearoid Hegarty. The ultra-powerful wing forward was in irresistible form throughout the 2022 final and scored 1-3 inside the first 25 mins. Paddy Deegan just couldn't contain him.

Gearoid Hegarty's early goal was scintillating; he broke through and fired into the top left-hand corner of Eoin Murphy's net, but in a true all-round display he once again sent the Limerick fans into a frenzy with a huge hit on Adrian Mullen with 50 minutes on the clock to win a sideline for his team, underlining his physical stature.

The new addition to the Kilkenny rearguard this year has been the rock-solid David Blanchfield at number five, who came on as a sub in last year's final and famously caught an injury time poc out over Hegarty's head before driving the sliotar back over Nicky Quaid's crossbar to reduce Limerick's lead to two points with time almost up.

Will that single sequence of play encourage Kilkenny manager Derek Lyng to hand the responsibility of curtailing Hegarty's influence to Blanchfield from the start this time around?

David Blanchfield in action against Limerick star Gearoid Hegarty in last year's All-Ireland final

Kilkenny will need to start well to build a platform for victory. Their use of the ball will also have to improve dramatically; last year's tactic of route one deliveries only yielding intermittent results against a composed Limerick backline who are very comfortable playing a sequence of short passes in confined spaces before breaking forward into the wide open pastures of Croke Park.

It is clearly evident that the Cats' defence have played more ball out short through the hands in 2023 under Lyng, but this will be tested like never before by the Limerick forwards spearheaded by Cian Lynch.

Kilkenny's most impressive line in last year's final was undoubtedly their unchanged full-back line who marshalled Gillane, Flanagan and co expertly, ensuring two of the three All-Star spots were filled by men in black and amber.

Limerick will not be deviating too far from the system that has delivered huge success and will back their inside forwards to win the battle this time around. Shooting efficiency will be another area of focus coming down the stretch this weekend for the Cats if the game is in the balance as this could well have tipped the scales in their favour during last year's classic encounter.

Both Limerick and Kilkenny have used their bench to provide maximum impact this year. Cillian Buckley struck a last-gasp goal in the Leinster final to secure a fourth consecutive provincial title for the Cats.

Walter Walsh and Richie Hogan both came off the bench to great affect in Kilkenny's semi-final win over Clare, which was reminiscent of their introductions against Limerick in last year's final when Walsh set up Billy Ryan's goal and Richie swung over a beautiful point under the Hogan Stand after Sean Finn had stood off the 2014 Hurler of the Year a fraction.

Limerick have had to swap around their starting line-up due to Declan Hannon's injury, but Will O'Donoghue was safe as houses at number six in his absence. Peter Casey will start this year in a straight swap with Graeme Mulcahy, who is likely to enter the fray later into the proceedings.

The Limerick panel depth cannot be underestimated either with Conor Boylan and Cathal O'Neill also sure to be introduced as finishers coming down the straight again this year.

Limerick's 'green wall'

TJ Reid is vying for his eighth All Ireland medal with Kilkenny alongside Richie Hogan. TJ is now the highest-ever scorer in championship hurling and his leadership ability rightly ranks him as one of the best hurlers to ever play the game.

He has a penchant for performing on the big days as we have witnessed time and again for both club and county. He was exceptional again 12 months ago and his ability to win primary possession and bring the other Kilkenny forwards into the game is the foundation stone upon which the Kilkenny forward line is built.

Kyle Hayes proved too athletic for Richie Reid at centre forward last year so will be relieved to see him line out at wing back this time around. After their semi-final victory, Limerick legend Ciaran Carey described the Limerick half backline as the 'green wall' and he was spot on.

Whether it is Hannon or O'Donoghue in the centre they will solidify the centre. Hayes is so powerful moving forward that the Kilkenny wing forward Tom Phelan will concentrate as much on defence as attack, but the diamond in the Limerick pack is Diarmaid Byrnes at right half-back.

Diarmaid Byrnes' sensational display in last year's All-Ireland final secured him the Hurler of the Year award

Byrnes is the highest scoring defender in history and he is still in his 20s. He single-handedly turned the tide when Limerick were under the cosh against Galway, trailing by six points two weeks ago, and his performance in last year's All-Ireland final secured the 2022 Hurler of the Year gong.

Byrnes is the beating heart of the Limerick team; he rules the skies, he is deadly from placed balls anywhere inside 100 yards, but most importantly, he drives forward with every step. He epitomises leadership, continually standing up to the mark when his county needs him most. Byrnes has raised the bar for all defenders.

The big question is will it be Kilkenny's 'Rose of Mooncoin' or 'Dreams' by the Cranberries that will fill the air come 17:00 on Sunday evening? The logic points towards a very tight match and we know that this Limerick team edge these encounters.

But Kilkenny are stronger this year. This incredible Limerick team could have been chasing an unthinkable six-in-a-row had it not been for the controversial 2019 semi-final loss to Kilkenny. The Limerick dominance will come to an end at some point, but everything would have to go right for Kilkenny for it to end this Sunday.

Both teams will bring intensity, bravery and an abundance of skill. The match-ups picked by the respective management teams will be intriguing and critical to the outcome. I really think we could be headed for extra time at GAA headquarters this weekend and conditioning could win the day.

Limerick are the most athletic team the game has ever seen. I believe Kilkenny are second only to them. I hurled alongside Limerick strength and conditioning coach Cairbre O'Caireallain at minor level with Antrim when he resided in his hometown of Belfast, and he has a track record of success.

In fact, he was in charge of Tipperary's S&C under Liam Sheedy when the Premier County last made it up the steps of the Hogan stand in 2019. He then moved into the Limerick set up and the rest as they say is history.

Limerick will find a way to write their names into the history books this weekend but they will be made to work for it every step of the way by the old masters.

Verdict: Limerick to win after extra-time.