Favourites tag 'not a concern', says Cats U21 coach

Kilkenny U21 manager Adrian Finan is unperturbed by the favourites' tag his side has been landed with for Sunday's Erin All-Ireland hurling final against Tipperary.

The counties will meet in an U21 final for the second time in three seasons this weekend, and for the eighth time in all since the competition was introduced in 1964.

Kilkenny were comprehensive 3-21 to 1-6 winners over Tipp in the 2004 decider, and coupled with the Cats' defeat of Cork in last Sunday's senior final, Finan's charges are hot favourites for Sunday's tie.

Kilkenny are 4/9 favourites with most bookmakers to lift their county's tenth All-Ireland title at the U21 grade.

But speaking at the final's press launch, Finan warned: "We got a timely reminder last weekend about what favouritisim means in these matches. To be honest, it's more of a thing for the supporters and the media in the build-up to the game.

"They have to talk about something and I don't think players look at it in that regard at all.

"It's an All-Ireland final - maybe the last one they'll ever play in - so we don't care if we're favourites or underdogs or whatever. The All-Ireland final usually gets the best two teams in the country and I'd say that's what we'll see here (at Croke Park)."

Finan will, as expected, slot senior stars James 'Cha' Fitzpatrick, John Tennyson and Richie Power into his side when he confirms it tonight. All three have had important roles to play for the U21s this summer, particularly in the semi-final win over Galway. Fitzpatrick scored eight points in that game, with Power also notching a significant 1-1.

Finan admitted it has been easy to get the trio tuned back into the preparations for the U21 showdown.

"Those lads don't achieve what they have achieved already without being level-headed and focused," he said. "They were back (training) on Tuesday night looking forward to Sunday."

If Kilkenny beat Tipp, it will be the fourth time that the Noresiders have captured both the senior and U21 titles in the same year - they previously achieved the feat in 1974, 1975 and 2003.