Power-packed Dubs set to hasten Cats’ demise

THE big one, and really, for a provincial championship, it could hardly be bigger. Reigning league champions against reigning Leinster champions but it goes far beyond that.

Questions have been asked about Kilkenny this year, serious questions. Has the all-conquering side of the last five years finally come to an end? Have great players like Noel Hickey, Michael Kavanagh, JJ Delaney, Eddie Brennan, Jackie Tyrell, all gone past their peak? Can Henry really recover fully from a second cruciate operation? Legitimate questions too, so much hard mileage on the clock for so many of those lads.

And yet, Kilkenny reached a league final this year; and yet, even without several of the marquee names above, and with Eoin Larkin red-carded as early as the 26th minute, they put it up to Dublin for over 60 minutes, were still within six points of them at that stage, before conceding heavily in the final minutes and losing by 12. Yet they blew Wexford away in the semi-final, a lot of that old guard coming back into shape, bolstered by youngsters TJ Reid, Richie and Paddy Hogan, Paul Murphy. Rumours of their demise then, very premature.