Paul Murphy: An immense performance from Kilkenny all over the pitch

It’s brilliant to see Kilkenny back into another All-Ireland final and I don’t think many were tipping them going into the game — well, outside of the county anyway.

The performance was so comprehensive and while Clare were flat on the day, Kilkenny can only play what was put in front of them and it was just an immense display all over the field where they finished up with 2-26 and only hitting nine wides.

Contrast that to Clare and they had 24 wides and only 20 points, so it was just really comprehensive and it’s great to see them back in the final.

The Kilkenny first half display was awesome and to score 1-17 in a half of hurling is quite something when you think Clare only had six points on the board.

The performance all over the pitch was great as they were mixing it up of when to go short and when to go long and that was keeping the Clare backs really honest, I suppose.

Clare had to push up on Kilkenny then but all over as soon as a ball went into the Kilkenny backline they just stifled out the threat by getting a hurl to the sliotar and then the backs were able to rush out with the ball.

There was then men off the shoulder and the players were able to get the head up to deliver the ball into the right position so it was just an immense performance from Kilkenny and it’s very hard to fault with anything they done in all areas of the pitch.

There was a little bit of everything in the Kilkenny display during the first half and there was no department in which Clare outworked or outsmarted Kilkenny and Kilkenny got their matchups spot on and first of all Mikey Butler did an immense job on Tony Kelly for the whole game but in particular in the first half as he closed him out.

Mikey was actually doing a bit of work with the kitman around 2015 and he was carrying water bottles and different things for us and I remember him at one stage after a game with Wexford in Nowlan Park asking the likes of Richie Hogan and Lee Chin for their jerseys, and sure he’s grabbing a jersey of his own now.

It’s an immense achievement for him as any player that holds Tony Kelly scoreless is doing a fine job as every team in the country has been scratching their head this year as to how to hold Tony Kelly.

Kilkenny were able to provide the answer as they have Mikey Butler.

At least Kilkenny know going into a final that they have a defender that is capable of marking one of the best hurlers in the country, which will be huge when they are facing the Limerick forward line.

Back on the game itself, Kilkenny also forced Clare to shoot from distance and from tough angles and that was obviously something that will mark down Clare in the game but you still have to give Kilkenny credit for limiting their opposition and again the workrate of the team was better even when you take into account some of the shot selection and teamwork.

It’s very hard to find anywhere on the field where Kilkenny weren’t dominant in.

Kilkenny have learned a lot over the course of the championship and they are really peaking at the right time aswell.

They’ve not only learned a lot from their own games but I think they also took a lot from the games Clare played against Wexford and Limerick.

I think Kilkenny came close to finding their best 15 in Saturday’s win and there was also a good few lads coming off the bench that were chomping at the bit to get some action.

Kilkenny are in a really good place going into the final, and it will be very hard to pick their starting team, but that’s a good complaint to have as they have lads performing well all over the pitch at the moment.

At this stage of the year Kilkenny seem to be striking gold and that’s what you want ahead of an All-Ireland final.

Coming into the game a lot of people were looking at the likes of Eoin Murphy, Padraig Walsh, TJ Reid and even Paddy Deegans of this world that have been around a little longer but the younger players have stepped up and showed great leadership.

Mikey Butler was tasked with marking Tony Kelly and did an immense job, but even at one stage he found himself up at corner forward at one stage having a shot.

Adrian Mullen scored five points from play which was absolutely huge, Mossy Keoghan got a goal at an important stage of the game just before half-time and Cian Kenny got 1-2 but again a goal in the second half that was enough to kill off Clare.

So, you can really see the younger lads stepping in and stepping up to the mark but there is still that nice mix of experience there too with lads that have been through many All-Ireland semi-finals and finals before.

Getting back to a final is huge for Kilkenny and the build up over the next few weeks with the quick turnaround is going to be different as we are more used to a four week turnaround.

It’s going to be huge though — and the scramble for tickets will be on. There will be a bit of excitement around the county in the build-up and it’s just immense as not a lot of people tipped this team to be back in an All-Ireland final so soon.

They are there now — it’s great for Kilkenny, and I’m sure the whole county will be buzzing for the next two weeks.

I don’t think the earlier time for the All-Ireland final has any real effect at the same time and with the way the split-season has transpired, the Kilkenny team has been together unbroken for the last six months and that’s a benefit if anything.

The big thing for the players is to enjoy getting back to a final as Kilkenny haven’t been in one since 2019 and haven’t won one since 2015, so there will be huge hunger to get over the line this time round.

A lot of the lads will have experienced the All-Ireland final build up before, but there’s still a few that this may be their time playing in a full house at Croke Park.

Making sure that they get their tickets sorted quickly is important so that they can concentrate on the game ahead and not have other things on their mind a few days out from the game.