Kilkenny boss Cody ‘hyping up’ Galway ahead of All-Ireland hurling final

IT’S the final countdown . . . with just over a week to go to the All-Ireland senior hurling showpiece the two camps are making final preparations for a tilt at the Liam McCarthy Cup.

Both Galway and Kilkenny are eyeballing each other ahead of the final on Sunday, September 6 at Croke Park.

Kilkenny manager Brian Cody was ‘hyping up’ Galway’s credentials at Tuesday’s media briefing to preview the final in Langton’s Hotel in Kilkenny City.

And last night, at the Galway preview in the Lough Rea Hotel and Spa, his counterpart, Anthony Cunningham emphasised the colossal challenge that Kilkenny will pose, as his charges seek to bridge a gap of 27 years since the county last tasted senior success.

It is the sixth All-Ireland final between the two counties – Galway has come out on top just once in 1987 (1-12 to 0-9); and came within a whisker of skinning the Cats in the 2012 drawn final only to be beaten by nine points in the replay; and Kilkenny won the three other finals (1975, 1979, 1993).

For Galway to win, it would surely be their greatest triumph yet – beating the Holy Trinity and traditional powerhouses of the game along the way including Cork, Tipperary and Kilkenny, as well as Dublin, an emerging force, and Laois, in the Leinster campaign.

Kilkenny, gunning for an 11th All-Ireland title in 17 years, could not make the same claim, given they followed the path of least resistance to the final including wins over Wexford, Galway and Waterford.

But that won’t diminish the determination of the Cats, who appear as hungry and fearsome as ever despite some high profile retirements including JJ Delaney, Tommy Walsh, Aidan Fogarty, Brian Hogan and Henry Shefflin.

Galway has concern over full-back John Hanbury (Rahoon-Newcastle), who came off with a leg injury in the dying stages of their unbelievable one-point semi-final victory over Tipperary a fortnight ago.

Hanbury has been teak-tough this year and a huge addition to the panel – he will be given every opportunity to prove fitness.

Fergal Moore, captain David Collins, and Greg Lally are experienced options should Hanbury not make it, and Paul Killeen made an impression at full-back in the U21s’ defeat to Limerick in Thurles on Saturday.

Jason Flynn required stitches in that game but his injuries are superficial and he should be okay for the final. Conor Cooney has returned to training after a lengthy injury absence although the final could arrive too soon for the St Thomas’ man.

For more, read this week’s Galway City Tribune.