Against Kilkenny, there is no escaping the inevitable

Kilkenny 1-26 Galway 0-22: Death, taxes and strong second-half performances from Kilkenny, each as inevitable as the other and all utterly impossible to repel.

Twice in a matter of just months now, and both in Croke Park finals, Galway have found themselves in the position of executioner, poised above Kilkenny’s jutting neck with blade in hand.

They led Kilkenny by three points at half-time in last year’s All-Ireland final and by the same margin at the same stage again yesterday.