Preview-The ultimate challenge awaits but Cats are primed to test the Green Machine

Here we go again!

For the second year running, the All-Ireland senior hurling championship final will be contested by defending champions Limerick and pretenders Kilkenny.

After winning the last three senior hurling titles, the Treaty County are now just 70 minutes away from equalling the great Kilkenny side of the early Noughties that brought the Liam MacCarthy Cup to Noreside between 2006 and 2009.

The Cork team between 1941 and 1944 are the only other side to win four All-Ireland titles on the bounce so entering that type of company is very much on the line for Limerick this weekend.

Kilkenny were the last side to beat the Shannonsiders in a knockout championship clash when edging a thrilling All-Ireland semi-final meeting between the counties in 2019.

Limerick have been nigh-on invincible since then but last year’s All-Ireland final, together with this year’s championship campaign as a whole, has given a chink of light to the likes of Kilkenny that the reign of the champions will come to an end at some stage.

A poor start in last year’s decider proved fatal for the Cats in the end but their character and drive meant only two points separated the sides come the final whistle in what proved to be Brian Cody’s last game as Kilkenny boss.

Seeing as it’s the first year in just under a quarter of a century that Cody hasn’t been patrolling the sideline, a period of transition was anticipated in the county but in truth Kilkenny were never going to be far away. While they are underdogs, the Cats are back in the All-Ireland decider and that is a dangerous proposition for any team in opposition.

While Kilkenny have failed to win an Al-Ireland crown since 2015 and have lost in three subsequent finals, there is the solace that they have cleaned up at provincial level.

Kilkenny’s last gasp Leinster final victory over Galway last month saw the Cats win a fourth successive title. That regional dominance shows they aren’t far away from their ultimate destination.

The unfortunate thing for Kilkenny, not to mention the rest of the chasing pack, is that the team they are trailing is a Limerick side that has plenty of aces no matter what way you look.

Not only are John Kiely’s charges going in search of that coveted four in a row but in total they’ve won four of the last five All-Ireland crowns since overcoming Galway five years ago for a first title win since 1973.

Kilkenny know only too well what it’s like to be in the position that Limerick occupy. With all the pressure on their opponents, the Cats will more than enjoy trying to upset the odds.

Unlike in 2022, Limerick’s form has dropped a little and being without the calibre of players in multiple All-Star Sean Finn and captain Declan Hannon, that’s only natural in some ways.

Finn tore his ACL during Clare’s win in the round-robin stages of the Munster championship. It was that victory for the Banner, as well as a closely-fought provincial final between the two, that illustrated a few possible chinks in the armour of the All-Ireland champions.

Cork and Tipperary also pushed Limerick very close while Leinster finalists Galway, albeit only for a half, had their moments in the All-Ireland semi-final.

Kilkenny certainly have the players to hurt Limerick and while Sean Finn’s loss hasn’t been fatal as of yet, the champions’ full-back line is about to get their sternest examination of the year.

Along with Aaron Gillane, Shamrocks supremo Eoin Cody is one of the form players in the country. The more ball he gets on Sunday, the bigger the chance of a Kilkenny victory.

Cody tormented the Clare defence in the semi-final when he notched 1-5 from play. If he can repeat that brilliance on All-Ireland final day then Derek Lyng’s men will be in with a right chance of securing success.

Limerick’s Gearoid Hegarty outdid that tally when getting 1-6 in last year’s final. Making Gillane, Tom Morrissey, Cian Lynch or Seamus Flanagan, among others, don’t reach those scoring highs will be critical to Kilkenny’s chances.

Paddy Deegan was selected to try and halt Hegarty’s tour de force a year ago but it was only when David Blanchfield went on him that his scoring tally dried up somewhat.

Another aspect of this Limerick side that’s so impressive is their ability to get goals at the most opportune times. Sounds familiar? That trait was a fulcrum of so many successful Kilkenny teams in the past.

With the vast array of support that is following Limerick nowadays, a goal is nearly worth double to them as it gives them the oxygen to go up a few gears.

While stopping Limerick finding the net will be one of the main aims for Kilkenny, getting a few themselves will also be key.

The physical presence of TJ Reid at full-forward, or wherever he ends up over the course of the attacking six, will be important. The former Player of the Year is hugely instrumental in setting up goalscoring opportunities for his side.

Mossy Keoghan and Billy Ryan both got on the goalscoring scoresheet 12 months ago. They and Adrian Mullen will all need to have big games to put Limerick on the backfoot.

The thing about Kilkenny is that they always tend to show up on the big occasions and a good performance is almost a given as a result.

With the experienced heads of TJ, Conor Fogarty, and Eoin Murphy combining expertly with the newer breed of Eoin Cody, Adrian Mullen, John Donnelly and Huw Lawlor, hopes are high that it may be Kilkenny’s time once again.

The whole county is behind them.