Ciaran Carey and Ryan O’Dwyer preview the Leinster senior hurling final between Galway and Kilkenny.
Both Ciaran Carey and Ryan O’Dwyer feel that Galway should be further ahead in their development by now.
The Tribe have not won a Leinster title since 2018, a year after claiming an All-Ireland title when Davy Burke hoisted the cup.
Shane O’Neill had two seasons after Micheal Donoghue, and now Henry Shefflin is in his second campaign over the men in maroon.
2013 Leinster title winner O’Dwyer, who transferred to Liam Mellows last year, says:
“If you asked anyone in Galway, they would say they would like to be winning more.
“It’s not like Munster where everyone can beat anyone on a given day.
“It’s not the same in Leinster where the top three is going to be made up of Galway and Kilkenny, and one of Dublin and Wexford — no disrespect to anyone.
“So there’s more scope to try players and peak at the right time.
“If you asked anyone in Galway, they would say they would like to be winning more.”
Carey adds: “Kilkenny are very inconsistent and it’s extremely hard to call who comes out of it.
“Galway are a team that are not fulfilling their potential.
“Henry is going to be under a bit of pressure this year, and there’s no point in saying he’s not.
“Watching Galway last year, I think it was at the tail-end of the championship that they came.
“I said to myself if Henry had got that twist at the start of the year, Galway would take some beating, and I’m yet to see that yet.”
Click play on the video above their hear more.
GALWAY v KILKENNY
Kilkenny are bidding for a fourth successive Leinster title while Galway last won in 2018.
Kilkenny won three, drew one and lost one of their five ‘round robin’ games this year;
Galway won three and drew two, one of which was against Kilkenny in a Round 2 clash in Nowlan Park.
HOW THEY REACHED THE FINAL
GALWAY
- Galway 0-24 Wexford 2-12
- Galway 1-25 Kilkenny 0-28
- Galway 6-33 Westmeath 0-17
- Galway 5-29 Antrim 1-22
- Galway 1-25 Dublin 2-22
TOP SCORERS
- Evan Niland…………..0-48 (0-26 frees, 0-4‘65s’)
- Conor Whelan…………5-5
- Kevin Cooney…………..2-9
- Brian Concannon………2-8
- Conor Cooney……….0-10
- Declan McLoughlin…1-7
KILKENNY
- Kilkenny 0-29 Westmeath 0-7
- Kilkenny 0-28 Galway 1-25
- Kilkenny 5-31 Antrim 3-20
- Kilkenny 0-27 Dublin 0-21
- Wexford 4-23 Kilkenny 5-18
TOP SCORERS
- TJ Reid……………….2-45 (0-31 frees. 0-5 ‘65s’)
- Eoin Cody……………3-13
- Martin Keoghan……4-9
- Adrian Mullen…….0-13
- Tom Phelan………….1-8
LAST FIVE CHAMPIONSHIP MEETINGS
- 2023: Galway 1-25 Kilkenny 0-28 (Leinster ‘round robin)
- 2022: Kilkenny 0-22 Galway 0-17 (Leinster final)
- 2022: Galway 1-24 Kilkenny 3-17 (Leinster round robin)
- 2020: Kilkenny 2-20 Galway 0-24 (Leinster final)
- 2019: Galway 3-20 Kilkenny 2-22 (Leinster round robin)
PREVIOUS LEINSTER FINAL MEETINGS
This will be the ninth Leinster final between the counties. It’s 5-2 to Kilkenny with one draw from the previous eight.
- 2022: Kilkenny 0-22 Galway 0-17
- 2020: Kilkenny 2-20 Galway 0-24
- 2018: Galway 1-28 Kilkenny 3-15 (Replay)
- 2018: Galway 0-18 Kilkenny 0-18 (Draw)
- 2016: Kilkenny 1-26 Galway 0-22
- 2015: Kilkenny 1-25 Galway 2-15
- 2012: Galway 2-21 Kilkenny 2-11
- 2010: Kilkenny 1-19 Galway 1-12
*This will be the 51st championship meeting between Galway and Kilkenny. The Cats lead 33-13 with four draws from the previous 50 clashes.
*Henry Shefflin played against Galway thirteen times in the championship (two as a sub in 2014). He was on the winning side eight times, lost three and drew two.
*Derek Lyng and Henry Shefflin played together on Kilkenny teams that won six Leinster finals.
*Galway have played in ten finals since joining the Leinster championship in 2009, winning three, drawing one and losing six.
Their wins were against Kilkenny in 2012 and 2018 and Wexford 2017. The draw was in 2018 against Kilkenny who beat them in 2010-15-16-20-22. Dublin beat them in the 2013 final.
*Galway have scored only two goals in their last four championship meetings with Kilkenny who have scored five.
Leinster SHC titles (last won in brackets): Kilkenny 74 (2022); Dublin 24 (2013); Wexford 21 (2019); Offaly 9 (1995); Laois 3 (1949); Galway 3 (2018). Galway joined the Leinster championship for the first time in 2009.
