Ex-Kilkenny hurling captain Comerford: Dublin are 'no great shakes'

Elsewhere, over 15,000 tickets have been sold for Saturday's Kerry v Donegal All-Ireland SFC clash in Killarney. 25,000 are expected to attend

Dublin are already through to the All-Ireland series and will qualify for the Leinster SHC final if they take at least a point against Kilkenny. Pic: Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile

Former Kilkenny captain Andy Comerford says Dublin “are no great shakes” ahead of Sunday’s Leinster SHC final round game in Parnell Park.

Dublin are already through to the All-Ireland series and will qualify for the provincial final if they take a point against the Cats, who could yet miss out on the top three.

However, Comerford was buoyed by the second-half performance against Kildare this past weekend and expects Kilkenny will win in Donnycarney.

“Listen, Dublin are no great shakes,” the county’s 2002 All-Ireland SHC captain told Community Radio Kilkenny City‘s World of Gaelic Games show. 

“We have a very good record in Parnell Park. I think we’re actually unbeaten up there in championship, so I’d be positive enough if we can get our full complement of players on the field without any injuries between now and then we can take Dublin most definitely.

“They’re not a Dublin team that would have beaten us there (in 2013) in Portlaoise. They wouldn’t be as classy as that. We have to replicate the performance in the second half (v Kildare) and we will beat Dublin.” 

Comerford accepts Kilkenny haven’t been consistent in their provincial campaign to date but envisages a Kilkenny-Galway Leinster final.

“We’re playing on a pitch we’re familiar with against a team who I don’t think would be as happy playing in Croke Park as we would. But I wouldn’t go any further than this game on Sunday at 2 o’clock.

“I’d be looking for an immediate repeat of what went on in the first nine minutes of the second half. We showed we are champions, we were aggressive in the tackle, we were getting out in front, we were getting the ball and taking them on in the forwards and scoring.” 

Meanwhile, over 15,000 tickets have been sold for Saturday’s Kerry-Donegal All-Ireland SFC Round 1 game in Fitzgerald Stadium.

A crowd of up to 25,000 is expected in Killarney with the promise of good weather at the weekend.

Captain Michael Langan and Ciarán Thompson have returned to training ahead of the game. Langan missed the Ulster SFC quarter-final defeat to Down last month after rolling his ankle in training but could be available for the trip south.

Thompson tore his anterior cruciate ligament in the All-Ireland final defeat to Kerry last July and underwent surgery the following month. It is believed Donegal’s Round 2 clash in the middle of next month is a more realistic target date for his return.