Mental edge is as important as any physical edge

Kilkenny will be on high alert, especially after the trimming they took from Clare, writes Anthony Daly.

When Kilkenny were in their pomp, they often reminded me of a pack of crazed wolves; ravenous, dangerous, ruthless. They went for the kill often and early but the slightest sniff of blood in their nostrils was often all they needed to tear a team apart limb from limb.

Winning matches was all that motivated them. Every win, every performance counted for something but some performances, some matches counted for even more. Whenever Kilkenny had a cause, the pack of wolves were even more vicious, more deadly.