No room for romance as Cats have too much power

EVEN in Dublin it’s being said — that only someone who’s delusional or incurably romantic can see any possibility other than a big Kilkenny win in tomorrow’s Leinster hurling final.

Well, I’m guilty on both counts, because contrary to most predictions I believe that this will be a real contest, one that will go down to the wire.

In the National Hurling League just past, with only one team to be relegated from a division of eight, Dublin were expected to be the ones to struggle to hold onto their premier division status.

It didn’t pan out that way. Admittedly Cork were having their well-documented problems, and Dublin won that game comfortably in Páirc Uí Chaoimh. However, they also beat Galway and Waterford, drew with Clare, and were only barely pipped by Limerick, Tipperary and Kilkenny, that last game in Nowlan Park when there was still much at stake for both teams.

People will dismiss all of that, declare that the league means little, that it’s all about championship. True, in most cases and in most seasons — not this year.

Every match in which Dublin were involved this year meant something, and not just to Dublin; because of the competitiveness of the division, and the fact that no-one wanted to be the team relegated, every other side in the group targeted the Dubs.

Yet in every one of those games Dublin were competitive, and more than competitive. They secured their own status with ease, and came within a whisker of actually qualifying for the final. So, in this opinion, Dublin’s credentials stand up to scrutiny — they will be competitive tomorrow.

They have a really good keeper in Gary Maguire, a solid spine to their defence in Tomás Brady and Joey Boland, with tenacious tacklers in the corners and quality in the likes of team captain Stephen Hiney on the wing; midfield will stay with anyone, John McCaffrey a real talent, and up front they have threats like Dotsie O’Callaghan, Alan McCrabbe and Liam Rushe. On the line too they are well served, and expect to see Anthony Daly engage Brian Cody in yet another tactical battle.

Question, though — can they win? Well yes, of course — it’s a two-horse race, after all. But here ends the romance. We’ve made no mention of any Kilkenny player yet — no need. Almost every single one of them, from one to 15 and even beyond, is a household name already. I can’t see any team beating them this year, let alone this young and inexperienced Dublin side, as they continue their drive towards four-in-a-row All-Ireland titles. But, it will be a contest, a true contest.

* Verdict: Kilkenny