GAA All-Ireland Hurling Final: All you need to know about Limerick v Kilkenny
- Published
Limerick held off Kilkenny 1-31 to 2-26 in last year's classic final at Croke Park
All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship Final: Limerick v Kilkenny |
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Date: Sunday 23 July Venue: Croke Park, Dublin Throw-in time: Sunday, 15:30 BST |
Coverage: Watch on BBC Two Northern Ireland and BBC iPlayer; live text commentary & in-play clips, reports, reaction & highlights on BBC Sport website & app |
One of Ireland's greatest annual sporting occasions will take place at Croke Park on Sunday when Limerick aim for a fourth successive All-Ireland Hurling title in the decider against last year's beaten finalists Kilkenny.
Limerick secured the county's first three-in-a-row 12 months ago as they held off the Cats 1-31 to 2-26 in an epic battle.
That was the Treaty County's 11th All-Ireland Hurling triumph with Kilkenny having to go back to 2015 for the last of their record 36 titles.
As the race for the Liam MacCarthy Cup edges ever closer to its conclusion, here is all you need to know about Sunday's big match.
When is the game?
Limerick v Kilkenny throws in at 15:30 BST on Sunday.
GAA All-Ireland hurling final: All you need to know about hurling
How can I watch?
You can watch Sunday's final on BBC iPlayer, BBC Two Northern Ireland and the BBC Sport website.
Thomas Niblock will present coverage of the game on the BBC iPlayer and BBC Two Northern Ireland with the build-up starting at 15:00.
Thomas will be joined in studio by ex-Kilkenny defender Paul Murphy, former Antrim star Neil McManus and three-time Limerick All-Star Ciaran Carey. Oisin Langan will be joined on commentary by Clare great Jamesie O'Connor.
Sarah Mulkerrins will provide pitchside updates, while former referee Fergal Horgan - who took charge of the 2017, 2020 and 2021 All-Ireland finals - will be on hand to provide expert insight on refereeing calls.
The BBC Sport website will have also a live text commentary, as well as a report, highlights, analysis, reaction and in-play clips, while you can also stay up to date across the BBC Sport NI social media accounts.
What happened in the semi-finals?
Limerick looked in a degree of trouble when they trailed Galway by six points after 25 minutes of their opening semi-final, but reduced the deficit to one by half-time before blowing the Tribesmen away in the second half to clinch a 2-24 to 1-18 victory.
Aaron Gillane scored both Limerick's goals to emphasise his status as the most dangerous forward in the modern inter-county game.
Dominant Limerick sweep aside Galway to reach All-Ireland Final
A day after Limerick overpowered Galway, Kilkenny and Clare served up a classic semi-final with the Cats edging the verdict 1-25 to 1-22, helped by an incredible late save from goalkeeper Eoin Murphy as he tipped a Peter Duggan piledriver on to the crossbar.
The Cats deservedly led 0-15 to 0-10 at half-time but Clare summoned up a huge effort to move 0-19 to 0-17 ahead.
Eoin Cody punished a Clare mistake to restore Kilkenny's lead as he netted only for Shane O'Donnell to level with a superb goal.
But Kilkenny moved three ahead again and held on despite a frantic finish.
Watch: Kilkenny beat Clare to reach All-Ireland final
Is a replay possible?
Yes. If the sides are level at full-time and still can't be separated after extra-time, the decider will go to a replay which will take place on Saturday 5 August at Croke Park.
Team news and preview
Limerick are already one of hurling's greatest ever teams, and their status as the very best ever could be hard to deny if they become only the third side to win a fourth successive Liam MacCarthy Cup, matching Cork's achievement from 1941 to 1944 and Kilkenny's run between 2006 and 2009.
The Treaty County's structured style and emphasis on power and physique is not to everyone's taste, though, with ex-Tipperary star John 'Bubbles' O'Dwyer even going as far as saying in a recent edition of BBC Sounds' The GAA Social that Kilkenny denying Limerick a fourth straight title would be good for the game.
However, Kilkenny will not get caught up in any debate about potentially being the saviours of hurling with their only motivation ending a fallow eight-year period since the county's last triumph - a virtual eternity for the Cats.
Since that 1-22 to 1-18 win over Galway eight years ago, Kilkenny have lost three finals as they suffered comprehensive defeats by Tipperary in 2016 and 2019 before being edged out by Limerick in last year's thrilling decider.
Derek Lyng stepped into the Kilkenny managerial hot seat late last summer after the departure of the long-serving and legendary Brian Cody.
Lyng has attempted to introduce a more short-passing method and will hope this could negate the impact of what BBC pundit and Treaty County great Ciaran Carey described as the "Great Wall of Limerick" when referring to their half-back line after the semi-final win over Galway.
Limerick skipper Declan Hannon is set to miss the decider after again being left out of the match day squad because a knee injury
Time and time again in big games over recent campaigns, the half-back trio of Diarmaid Byrnes, Declan Hannon and Kyle Hayes have won possession or broken the sliotar for colleagues to, in effect, start Limerick attacks.
After not featuring in the semi-final because of a knee injury, skipper Hannon is seemingly set to miss out once more after not being named in Sunday's matchday squad but in truth Will O'Donoghue's switch to number six did not seem to weaken Limerick a jot against Galway.
Hannon's absence means John Kiely names an unchanged starting 15 with Lyng also giving a vote of confidence to the 15 that took to the field against Clare as forward Martin Keogan is retained despite his struggles two weeks ago and Walter Walsh again kept in reserve.
David Blanchfield has been included in Lyng's selection despite being an injury concern after sustaining a blow to the chest against Clare.
As ever, Kilkenny will rely on TJ Reid's free taking, but one of Limerick's great strengths is that they concede comparatively fewer fouls despite their physical approach.
The sides met in this year's National League final on 9 April when goals from Gillane and Barry Nash helped the Shannonsiders clinch a convincing 2-20 to 0-15 win. The smart money suggests the outcome will be a lot closer three-and-a-half months on.
Limerick: Nickie Quaid; Mike Casey, Dan Morrissey, Barry Nash; Diarmuid Byrnes, Will O'Donoghue, Kyle Hayes; Darragh O'Donovan, Cian Lynch; Gearoid Hegarty, David Reidy, Tom Morrissey; Aaron Gillane, Seamus Flanagan, Peter Casey.
Subs: David McCarthy, Conor Boylan, Ronan Connolly, Aaron Costello, Colin Coughlan, Adam English, Graeme Mulcahy, Barry Murphy, Aidan O'Connor, Cathal O'Neill, Oisin O'Reilly.
Kilkenny: Eoin Murphy; Mikey Butler, Huw Lawlor, Tommy Walsh; David Blanchfield, Richie Reid, Paddy Deegan; Conor Fogarty, Adrian Mullen; Tom Phelan, Martin Keoghan, John Donnelly; Billy Ryan, TJ Reid, Eoin Cody (capt).
Subs: Darren Brennan, Conor Delaney, Cillian Buckley, Padraig Walsh, Darragh Corcoran, Alan Murphy, Cian Kenny, Timmy Clifford, Walter Walsh, Richie Hogan, Billy Drennan.
Pundit's view (Neil McManus): "Logic points towards a very tight match and we know this Limerick team [tend to] edge these encounters. Kilkenny are stronger this year but 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.
"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.
"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."