Cats have more room for improvement

“I think Kilkenny will just about shade it. The main reason is that they have the more room for improvement. In the drawn game they got off to a slow start while most of their midfield and forward line didn’t perform.

“In fairness, that was probably down to Galway. Their backline has been excellent this year; they’re very fast and very young but you’d feel Kilkenny should be getting more out of their attack. Michael Rice is a huge loss to Kilkenny and it was really felt the last day, the absence of his hurling brain and skill. They haven’t got anyone close to his standard to come in, but allowing for that, Michael Fennelly was over-run the last day and you wouldn’t expect that again.

“I think the extra three weeks’ training often affects a younger panel more. A more experienced panel can cope better. Kilkenny might handle the extra pressure that comes with that. There are so many sacrifices to be made and from my own experience, that can be harder on the younger lads.

“My gut is telling me Galway could win it. It could go any way. But you’d have to go with your head and that says Kilkenny. Probably 10 or 11 of them didn’t perform to the standard you’d expect of them in the drawn game.

“If they’re able to up it by 10-15% across the field, it would make it hard on Galway. It will go down to the wire. James McGrath will probably let the play go a little more although Barry Kelly had a good game the last day and got all the big calls right. I think that will suit both teams and will make it a great spectacle.

“In the end, I just think Kilkenny have more improvement in them.”

nYesterday’s Expert View was from Diarmuid Lyng and not Derek Lyng as appeared in the newspaper. We apologise for any confusion caused.