Adaptable Cats can scrape a victory

Let’s begin with what each team is not.

Kilkenny: infallible. Tipperary: flaky. The margins between the counties have narrowed greatly since they last duelled in Croke Park two years ago. Even since last year where they slugged it out off-Broadway in Nowlan Park.

Neither are at their imperious best although that doesn’t mean we won’t get an exhilarating final to make up for the last clash in GAA HQ (be honest, 2011 was a distant cousin to 2009 and ’10).