Limerick v Kilkenny: Everything you need to know
COMEBACK SPECIAL: Miles 'Elvis' Kavanagh on Thomas Street, Kilkenny this week.
Sunday, 17 July, throw-in 3.30pm at Croke Park.
RTÉ go live from 2pm with Marty Morrissey flanked by Michael Duignan in the gantry while Joanne Cantwell will be joined by Donal Óg Cusack and Examiner columnists, Anthony Daly and Liam Sheedy.
Sky throw in 30 minutes later with JJ Delaney, Jamesie O’Connor, Ollie Canning and Anthony Nash on big-game duty with presenter Gráinne McElwain. Colour man Nicky English will complement commentator Dave McIntyre in the good seats.
National radio coverage will see the always-entertaining John Mullane settle in next to Paraic Lodge in the Hogan Stand, for RTÉ Radio 1’s broadcast.
Stay up to date throughout the game with Examiner Sport’s minute-by-minute liveblog from 2.30pm, with input from our writers at HQ and our sportsdesk staff.
Our colleague Shane Donovan put a call into Met Eireann on Friday and has since been layering on the Piz Buin.
"Temperatures in Dublin could rise up to 27 degrees, maybe even touching the 28 degree mark, so it'll feel very, very hot in that sunshine," weather forecaster Aoife Kealy told us.
"The big thing for people is to make sure that they take care on Sunday, I know everybody is excited about the prospect of summer weather, but we do have to remember that this kind of heat can have some harmful impacts.
"So it's important to make sure that you are protecting yourself from the sun, sun cream, wearing a cap etc..."
John Fogarty reported on Thursday that an additional water carrier will be permitted as well as water bottles around the sidelines.
The bainisteorí showed their hands on Friday night with neither making any changes from their semi-final 15s.
Colm Lyons will be the man in the middle this afternoon. The Nemo whistler will be the first Cork referee to officiate the blue riband fixture for 13 years.
Lyons’ umpires will be Ciarán Hanley (Brian Dillons), Johnny Barry (Ballinure), Philip Mackey and Finian Mullane (Nemo Rangers).
Anthony Daly looks ahead to an intriguing meeting while Derek McGrath reckons Limerick won't be making the same mistake twice.
Kieran Shannon interview chats to TJ Ryan in the big interview and Enda McEvoy reflects on Brian Cody.
“You’re mad to get going, if it’s your first All-Ireland it’s the biggest game of your life, you’re revved up to the max - but you’re being held back to shake hands and go on a march around the field, so you have to manage that. And experience helps there as well.”
Paraic Maher offers the debutant’s guide to all-Ireland final day.
"There were nights when I was pacing the yard out the back, wondering, ‘Am I the right man for this job? Have I got the capacity to deliver what I would expect from myself?'"
Limerick boss John Kiely opens up to Michael Moynihan ahead of another championship showpiece with the Treaty.
“Not only are we coming in as underdogs but we were not considered to have any chance of being in the All-Ireland final this year up to a few weeks ago. Somebody told me we were 12/1 after Cork beat us in the league semi-final so that wouldn’t suggest there were great expectations for us to get there. So, it was probably a big surprise for everybody that we’re there. And I don’t have a problem with that, that it’s a surprise. You couldn’t look at it and say, ‘Jeez, this team is definitely going to make the All-Ireland final this year’. We’re beyond where everybody would have expected us to be.”
Brian Cody discusses the Noresiders' overachievement with John Fogarty.
The aforementioned Messers Daly and Sheedy were joined on the much-anticipated pre-final podcast by Mark Landers, TJ Ryan and Brian Hogan this week. Catch up here:
Where will the game be won and lost?
2019: Kilkenny 1-19 Limerick 2-15 - All-Ireland semi-final
2018: Limerick 0-27 Kilkenny 1-22 - All-Ireland quarter-final
2017: Kilkenny 0-20 Limerick 0-17 - Round 1 Qualifier
2014: Kilkenny 2-13 Limerick 0-17 - All-Ireland SF
2012: Kilkenny 4-16 Limerick 1-16 - All-Ireland quarter-final
If Kilkenny pull off a surprise today they’ll bring their tally of senior All-Irelands to 37 at the top of the roll of honour.
Should the Treaty prevail, it will seal an historic three-in-a-row – and four titles in five amazing years.
The sides last met in the championship decider in 2007. I may have followed on a transistor radio from the Electric Picnic camp site – when all-Ireland final Sunday clashed with such events – but I know Brian Cody’s men showed no mercy.
Richie Bennis’ battling side went down by seven, ultimately.
Limerick are well fancied at 1/2 while the Cats play the underdog role at 9/4. A draw? 9-1
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