Cats aiming to continue on winning way

Kilkenny seem to have the knack of reaching - and more often than not - winning All-Ireland finals and today Galway try upset that trend in the Guinness SHC semi-final at Croke Park (3.30pm).

If the Tribesmen fail to repeat the searing second half performance which saw them heroically overtake Tipperary in their quarter-final clash, then it seems inevitable that Brian Cody's Cats will march on again.

But if Kilkenny reproduce the stop-start display which blighted their quarter-final win over Limerick, Galway could capitalise and progress to their first All-Ireland decider since 2001.

Cody's men could end up meeting champions Cork for the third season in-a-row in a final, but the Cats are not gullible enough to write off Galway's chances and assume that they are already through.

With the likes of fit-again sharpshooter Ger Farragher (the scorer of 1-40 to date), who has recovered from a dead leg, Richie Murray, Damien Hayes, David Forde and Niall Healy all on fire against Tipp, the Cats will have to be on their toes throughout.

Eugene Cloonan's absence from the Galway panel, originally through injury, has been one of the great mysteries of the 2005 championship, and the extra points he usually provides could matter in this afternoon's final furlong.

KILKENNY: J McGarry; M Kavanagh, J Tennyson, J Ryall; R Mullally, P Barry (capt), JJ Delaney; T Walsh, D Lyng; M Comerford, E Larkin, J Hoyne; E Brennan, DJ Carey, H Shefflin.

GALWAY: L Donoghue; D Joyce, T Og Regan, O Canning (capt); D Hardiman, S Kavanagh, D Collins; F Healy, D Tierney; R Murray, D Forde, A Kerins; G Farragher, N Healy, D Hayes.

Referee: Seamus Roche (Tipperary).