Preview- Kilkenny fancied to win but Dublin are no pushovers

After one of the most competitive Leinster senior hurling championship round-robin campaigns in recent years, the race for the Bob O’Keeffe Cup is down to the final two.

Kilkenny are back to defend their title in what is their seventh successive provincial decider - they very much have a five in a row of Leinster victories in their sights.

Dublin are the opposition for what will be a repeat of the 2021 final that was played in front of a restricted capacity. The side from the capital will be chasing their first Leinster win in over a decade.

The two counties met in the very first Leinster final and have locked horns many times in the meantime but it’s Kilkenny who have proven to be the modern day dictator with Dublin’s win after a replay in the Leinster semi-final in 2013 proving to be their last against the Noresiders in the championship.

That Dublin success occurred during Anthony Daly’s tenure; incidentally was their first victory over Kilkenny in 71 years, so it’s easy to see why Derek Lyng’s team will be so fancied on Saturday night (throw-in 6pm).

The pairing itself has been a big surprise as almost everyone - including me - had predicted a Kilkenny and Galway decider, but the Tribesmen’s struggles has opened the door for an improving Dublin outfit.

A win over Galway, a draw against Wexford and only denied by a late Eoin Cody goal when they faced the Cats means Dublin are going to Croke Park on merit. Based on their performance in the round-robin game with Kilkenny, they will fancy themselves to upset the odds.

Michael Donoghue’s team look to be returning to the type of form that got them to the Leinster final three years ago. While they were beaten by nine points on that occasion, they look in a good spot to get a lot closer to Kilkenny this time around.

The aforementioned round-robin game in Parnell Park last month will have opened Kilkenny’s eyes as to the threat the Dubs will pose on Saturday.

Dublin's pace and power was a major threat to Kilkenny on that occasion and moving into the more open spaces of Croke Park may suit them too.

Donal Burke scored 14 points in total on that night and it’s no coincidence that the Dublin transformation has occurred at the same time as the Na Fianna man’s return from injury.

Add in the return to form of Chris Crummey and Danny Sutcliffe and the defensive solidity of Paddy Smyth and Eoghan O’Donnell, and it’s a Dublin side that has a mean look about it.

Unlike Kilkenny, who went all the way to the final, Dublin endured a miserable spring league campaign and that’s mostly why a lot of onlookers had them written off before a ball was even pucked in anger for the championship.

So huge credit lies in the Dublin savings bank as they move to within one win of a place in an All-Ireland semi-final. While they might not be quite in bonus territory, their place in Saturday’s final is unexpected.

Kilkenny, on the other hand, are in the exact position where they expected to be. In many ways their season only really gets going when they take to the field in Croke Park.

The defending Leinster champions are still unbeaten in the championship and while the wait for an All-Ireland title is now into its ninth season, taking home the Bob O’Keeffe Cup for a 76th time would be another sign that they aren’t far away from the ultimate prize.

After losing out to Limerick in the last two All-Ireland finals there is a sense that Kilkenny still have a bit to prove on the biggest of days, but the side from the Marble City can only defeat what’s been in front of them.

After beating the two remaining Leinster counties in Dublin and Wexford, the Cats are in decent shape, albeit they are still very much under the radar with so many eyes glued on the Munster Championship.

With Limerick and Clare facing off this Sunday, most of the national headlines will emanate from the action in Thurles but Kilkenny won’t be complaining about that.

The Kilkenny side has a familiar and solid look to it with the likes of Eoin Murphy, Huw Lawlor, Richie Reid, Paddy Deegan, Eoin Cody and TJ Reid continuing to lead the charge.

With John Donnelly, Mikey Carey, David Blanchfield and Cian Kenny also nailing down their spots in recent seasons, there’s a lot to like about the 2024 version of Kilkenny.

The return from injury of Adrian Mullen will also be a big positive and while the Shamrocks man wasn’t rushed back despite being in the matchday squad for the Wexford game, he is a big leader for this Kilkenny team.

With TJ’s advancing years, it’s up to other players to make this Kilkenny team their own and Mullen did that throughout the league before getting a bad injury.

Expect him to play a major part on Saturday night and with most of the big guns now back in action, Kilkenny can secure another piece of silverware - but a big battle awaits.