All-Ireland final: your 10 need-to-knows ahead of Limerick-Kilkenny 

Who gets what dressing room? who are the officials? What brand of sliotar will be used on Sunday?

The Liam MacCarthy Cup with a Limerick and Kilkenny jersey and a match day sliotar before the GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship Final at Croke Park in Dublin. Photo by David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile

Ten of your need-to-knows for Sunday:

Who has more All-Ireland medals on Sunday – Limerick or Kilkenny?

Based on the semi-final teams, Kilkenny have just 15, TJ Reid providing seven of them, Eoin Murphy four, Richie Reid two and Pádraig Walsh two. All but Richie Reid have started winning All-Ireland finals. Limerick have 43 if Mike Casey’s missing couple of seasons through injury are factored in. The Cats could actually have more medals on the bench than their starting team – Cillian Buckley (3), Conor Fogarty (4), Richie Hogan (7) and Walter Walsh (3).

What happens if the game ends in a draw?

Two 10-minute periods of extra-time will be played. If there is no winner after that, a replay will take place in Croke Park on Saturday, July 30.

Who gets what dressing room?

As they are first in the Irish alphabet, Kilkenny (Cill Chainnigh) are expected to be assigned the Hogan Stand dressing room corresponding to the Hill 16 side of the field and Limerick (Luimneach) the one on the Davin Stand side. The Hill 16 one is considered the luckier of the two and Limerick claimed it last year despite Cork (Corcaigh) set to prepare in it. Limerick had been in the Hill dressing room for the Waterford game in 2020 although they were on the Davin side when they were victorious in 2018.

Who are the officials?

Colm Lyons (Cork) takes charge of his first All-Ireland senior hurling final. Lyons’ umpires will be Ciarán Hanley (Brian Dillons) and Johnny Barry (Ballinure), Philip Mackey and Finian Mullane (Nemo Rangers). Liam Gordon of Galway is standby referee/linesman and the other linesman is Paud O'Dwyer (Carlow). Tipperary’s Michael Kennedy is the sideline official.

What are the counties’ best final winning streaks?

Limerick are on a hot run of three final victories in succession but they have a way to go to match the achievements of Kilkenny’s string of five in the early 20th century (1907, ‘09, ‘11, ‘12) and two stretches of four (1909, 2006-9 and 2011, ‘12, ‘14, ‘15).

Will Declan Hannon become the most successful All-Ireland SHC captain of all time if Limerick win on Sunday?

Yes. The Adare man has lifted the Liam MacCarthy Cup three times, emulating Christy Ring, Cork (1946, ‘53, ‘54), Mikey Maher, Tipperary (1895, ‘96, ‘98) and Dick “Droog” Walsh, KIlkenny (1907, ‘09, 13).

Should they win on Sunday, will Kilkenny become the first-ever team to win an All-Ireland SHC title losing twice?

Yes, is the obvious answer. They reached the 2019 final also having lost two times in the championship, to Galway in their Leinster round robin game and Wexford in the provincial final.

Will Limerick become the first county outside “The Big Three” of Cork, Kilkenny and Tipperary to complete the three-in-a-row with victory this weekend?

Again, yes. Cork have managed it four times (1892-94, 1941-43, 1952-54 and 1976-78), Kilkenny twice (1911-13 and 2006-8) and Tipperary the same (1898-1900 and 1949-51). Kilkenny were stopped by Cork in the 2006 final.

I’m superstitious. Give me something to lean on for Sunday.

Well, Kilkenny have won eight of their 36 All-Ireland SHCs in the year ending in the number 2 – 1912, ‘22, ‘32, ‘72, ‘82, ‘92, ‘02, ‘12). Limerick have yet to win one in such a year. On the other hand, they did claim their previous three-in-a-row at under-age level in 2002. Their current goalkeeping coach Timmy Houlihan was the goalkeeper for all three of those victories.

What brand of sliotar will be used on Sunday?

For the 22nd final in a row, Cork’s Cummins ball will be the choice. The yellow version of their product will be in play for the third consecutive final. Five dozen of the sliotars will have been delivered to Croke Park earlier this week.