Provincial bragging rights on the line in Saturday showdown
BY NIALL SHERRY, SPORTS EDITOR
SPORTSEDITOR@KILKENNYOBSERVER.IE
2024 Leinster Senior Hurling Championship Final
Kilkenny vs Dublin
Croke Park, Saturday June 8th, Throw-in 6pm
It may not be the pairing that many expected, but tomorrow evening Kilkenny will face-off against Dublin in the battle to be crowned 2024 Leinster Senior Hurling Champions in Croke Park (Throw-in 6pm). Most hurling fans would be forgiven for thinking it was likely to be Henry’s Tribesmen vs Derek’s Cats, but this year’s format along with the results in the group means that there will be no meeting of one of our greatest and his native county.
For the Noresiders to continue their love affair with Bob O’Keefe, they will need to be at their best to get the better of a Dublin side that has shown already this season that they are a force to be reckoned with on the provincial stage. Indeed, the group stage fixture was an exciting affair in Parnell Park that saw Derek Lyng’s charges emerge with a hard-fought 2-point win, and in truth, this game could have gone either way.
The final table in Leinster saw Kilkenny finish just one point ahead of tomorrow’s opponents and while the Cats were the only unbeaten side in the province, there wasn’t too much between the teams in terms of points scored and conceded. The black and amber scored one point more and shipped five less than Micheál Donoghue’s outfit over the course of the five games, and as we alluded to earlier, the meeting in May highlighted the great work that is being done in the Capital with the small ball. The Clarinbridge clubman has a couple of provincial titles to his name, with his native Galway including the 2018 championship, where they got the better of Kilkenny after a replay.
While the Cats are going in search of title number 76, Dublin will be hoping to end a long spell without the provincial title, their last coming in 2013 under the stewardship of Anthony Daly when the Metropolitans defeated a Joe Canning inspired Galway by an impressive twelve points to lift the Bob O’Keefe Cup for the first time in 52 years. The likes of Danny Sutcliffe is still doing the business in 2024 and was in decent form during the Parnell Park encounter.
The men from the capital began their group campaign with a thrilling draw with Keith Rossiter’s Wexford. Trailing by some 5-points as the game entered injury time, a late, late brace of goals from Sutcliffe and Cian O’Sullivan saw them rescue a point at Chadwick’s Wexford Park. Donal Burke was reliable as ever, finishing his days work with 0-7. Next up for Micheál Donoghue’s side was a trip to Netwatch Cullen Park to take on Carlow. This road trip proved more fruitful as the Dubs emerged with a five-point win and maximum points, thanks to a goal from second half substitute Fergal Whitley. Again, Donal Burke led the way in the scoring charts, notching 0-9 in the away win.
A much more routine home win against Antrim in Parnell Park followed, a twenty-point victory and an impressive tally of 1-11 for Na Fianna’s Donal Burke. Kilkenny knows that any in-discipline will be punished by Burke who is to Dublin what TJ is to the Cats. Sean Currie and Conor Burke hit 0-10 between them and caused the Saffrons defence many problems that day.
Having then welcomed Kilkenny to the same venue and ran them very close, the boys in blue headed west to take on Henry’s Galway on the final day of group fixtures in Salthill. A magnificent 6-point win for Dublin ensured that they would contest this year’s decider and set up another cracker with the men from the Marble City. Again, Donal Burke top scored with 1-10, while Sean Currie also raised a green flag and there was a positive contribution from Chris Crummey, who notched 0-4.
The experienced heads including Donal Burke, Chris Crummey, Danny Sutcliffe and Fergal Whitley will know that this title is very much on the line, and they will not fear the stripes of Kilkenny tomorrow evening in headquarters. Dublin displayed some lovely hurling when they welcomed the Cats in the group stage, and Conor Burke’s goal showed the type of game this side are trying to craft.
Micheál Donoghue has instilled a level of resilience in this panel of players, and they will keep going to the long whistle. Alongside the never say die attitude this group is both a skillful and powerful unit, and as mentioned, in Donal Burke they have a player that can keep the scoreboard ticking over,
Kilkenny manager Derek Lyng will know that his side will need to put in a 70 + minute performance to ensure that they retain their provincial title. The Cats cannot afford a performance like they had against Carlow tomorrow evening. Repeat this and Dublin will be licking their lips. The warnings have been there, and captain Paddy Deegan will need to have his troops on their toes and ready for battle in Croker. It would be a huge boost for the Noresiders if Adrian Mullen lines out from the start in the decider. The Shamrocks Ballyhale man adds so much to his team and brings a serious level of dynamism all over the pitch, something that we will need at the Jones’s Road venue.
The attacking threats of Eoin Cody, TJ Reid and Mossy Keoghan will love the wide-open spaces in headquarters. Tullaroan’s Keoghan has been in cracking form of late and has looked really dangerous in games, taking on his man at every opportunity. TJ’s free taking aside, Mossy and Thomastown’s John Donnelly have been the players that have been troubling the scoreboard for the black and amber. In the group game, Donnelly put in a POTM performance notching 0-7 from play, while Mossy hit 0-3. Along with his vital goal, Eoin Cody also hit 0-3 and will look to revel again on the big stage tomorrow evening.
Billy Ryan’s cameo against Wexford reminded everyone that he has plenty to offer this Kilkenny side. The likes of Owen Wall and Tom Phelan will also hope for minutes in the final and both players are more than capable of providing telling contributions either from the start, or from the bench. David Blanchfield continues to put in eye-catching performances from wing-back and is another vital scoring weapon for Lyng’s men. The towering Bennettsbridge man has also taken some great catches and winning aerial duels in the final will be crucial as the Cats seek to dominate their opponents.
The midfield pairing will again be interesting. Will it be Cian Kenny and Paddy Deegan? Quite possibly. Should this be the case, Richie Reid will most likely find himself in the ‘6’ position, sweeping and reading the play with huge game intelligence. Young Ireland’s Mikey Carey appears to be shifting through the gears and looks very much settled in the half back division. With the settled trio of Huw Lawlor, Mikey Butler and Tommy Walsh behind Carey, Reid and Blanchfield, these lines are a huge strength to this Kilkenny side.
It promises to be a real battle in Croke Park tomorrow evening and both sides’ benches could prove to be key in the decider. Kilkenny’s strength in depth here may be the difference, and with the returning Walter Walsh and Adrian Mullen primed, Bob might just be back in the Marble City tomorrow night.
