Hurling Tactics: Will Kilkenny revert to type when heat comes on?

Much has been made of Kilkenny's changed style. But does it hold up under pressure? Sean Flynn investigates

TARGET MEN: TJ Reid, left, and Walter Walsh of Kilkenny in action against Waterford in last year's All-Ireland semi-final. The pair remain Kilkenny's go-to men for long deliveries.
Photo by Daire Brennan/Sportsfile

Over the last number of years, the hurling championship has seen a change in how teams are delivering the ball into the opposition’s half of the pitch. This is illustrated by the change in the number of deliveries from inside a team’s own 45 to inside the opposition 65-metre line in the 2017 and 2019 championships.

Deliveries from inside own 45 metre line to inside opposition’s 65-metre line