Balance of power edging towards Dublin as Cats look to regain title

By Peter O’ Dwyer

Dublin face long-time Leinster kingpins Kilkenny at GAA headquarters this evening looking to claim back-to-back provincial titles and in the process cement their place as the new hurling supremoes in the province.

The Dubs have hit a number of major milestones in the last few years, including a league title in 2011 and a first provincial crown since 1942 last year, but their tussle with Wexford perhaps gave a more understated illustration of just how far they’ve come.

Wexford were brimming with confidence heading into that game in Wexford Park with a young, dangerous forward line seemingly clicking at the right time and a general air of positivity about the camp.

Dublin, in contrast, hadn’t lined out competitively since the relegation play-off in April.

Conventional wisdom said the Dubs were heading straight into a home-town ambush that they’d do well to survive.

Instead, they cruised to an assured 0-22 to 1-14 victory having never looked in any real danger of losing.

Wexford may have fallen a little short of their best on the day but the Dubs dispatched of them as the plucky underdogs they now are in these games.

A game devoid of “panicky hurling” from his side was how Dublin manager Anthony Daly described it, and that just about summed it up.

Should they wish to retain that supremacy this evening in Croke Park they’ll have to overcome the previously undisputed heavyweight champions of the province – Brian Cody’s Kilkenny.

At this moment in time it’s difficult to ascertain exactly where Kilkenny rank as challengers for the Liam McCarthy. At times the last day against Galway they seemed to be purring along at the level of old yet the occurrence of that fixture in the first place leaves doubts over their ability to put teams to sword as they once could.

If coughing up that huge lead was no more than an aberration, Cody’s charges – of which there are many more involved this season – could take all the stopping of old.

The continuing feeling though that, despite his protestations, Cody doesn’t know his best 15 is unusual at this stage of the season.

The Jackie Tyrrell experiment at six seems to have been shelved for now at least as he again starts in his more familiar corner-back while Brian Hogan resumes the centre-back duties he performed so impressively the last day out.

Goalkeeper David Murphy takes the place of Eoin Murphy between the sticks for today’s clash, with the latter nursing an elbow injury picked up last week although he has recovered sufficiently to take his place on the bench.

In the forwards, both Tommy Walsh and Aidan Fogarty lose out and are replaced by Walter Walsh and Carrickshock’s John Power respectively, with Power forming a dangerous full-forward line with Colin Fennelly and TJ Reid.

The Dubs for their part welcome All-Star wing-forward Danny Sutcliffe back to the fold having recovered from two broken bones in his hand sustained on club duty with St Jude’s in April.

Sutcliffe’s return sees Colm Cronin move to full-forward with Mark Schutte dropping out having dislocated his collarbone against Wexford the last day.

The legs of Joey Holden and Cillian Buckley, one suspects, will be needed to combat Sutcliffe’s searing pace which against more seasoned campaigners like their colleague at centre-back could wreak havoc.

The Dubs inside-forward line will have their work cut out against a full-back line of Murphy, Delaney and Tyrrell though. That trio have been there and done it time and again and one suspects they’ll be quiet pleased to be operating as unit again.

Even as champions there’s a sense that the Dubs have yet to fully dethrone their vaunted opponents but another win today could change all that and see them assume the mantle of Leinster’s finest for years to come.

Be assured though, Cody and his men won’t go quietly.