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.
