Tribesmen will test Cats to the full

Jim O’Sullivan

One thing is certain: the Westerners will put up one hell of a fight in a way they were unable to in last year's qualifier in Thurles.

Several factors accounted for the 4-20 to 1-10 hammering Kilkenny inflicted in Semple Stadium.

Brian Cody's side were fired up having lost dramatically to Wexford in the Leinster semi-final. They then gave arguably their best performance of the campaign, taking account of the narrow quarter-final escape against Clare and loss to Cork in the final.

Don't forget that Galway, then league champions, had only had one championship outing, against Down.

"We lost all our sharpness. Kilkenny were on the rebound and were in top form. That was the best game they played by a mile. We were poor, but at the same time the form Kilkenny were in that evening they would have beaten anybody,'' Conor Hayes recalled.

This year, Galway had a very respectable showing against Kilkenny in Nowlan Park to reassure players and management. They had a testing game against Limerick in the key round of the Round Robin series and showed character and a lot of skill in defeating Tipperary with a strong finish.

Even with six changes in personnel from last year's meeting no Eugene Cloonan and the crafty Kevin Broderick fighting his way back to fitness Galway showed they could hurl with the best.

Kilkenny didn't score a goal in the Leinster final, but that owed almost as much to the excellence of Wexford as to the lack of scoring power. Likewise, they didn't find the net in their quarter-final against Limerick.

Kilkenny found it much more difficult to win than would have been expected. And it couldn't be blamed too much on the loss of Noel Hickey and the way it has destabilised the full-back line or Peter Barry's failure to perform up to standard after an injury lay-off. It was simply a matter of the team dynamic being limited.

Hence questions about their ability to reach a seventh final in eight years.

Kilkenny have reason to fear the likes of Damien Hayes and Ger Farragher in the Galway attack. Their forwards have pace and mobility and won't lack confidence. Hayes put a goal past James McGarry in last year's game and it could very well have been two or three but for the brilliance of Tommy Walsh at left corner-back.

Still, I feel it's a bit early to rate Galway above Kilkenny, all the more so when questions can still be asked about their defence. The Leinster champs have to lift their game big-time, but I feel they will claim their place in the decider.