Kilkenny is what most fans, pundits and press people will say if you ask for a one word prediction on Sunday’s All Ireland final.
What would be the fun though in one word predictions, when you can hedge your bets predicting one team to win but giving reasons why the other might. While arguments can be made for Galway, Kilkenny are favourites for very good reasons and it’s hard to argue with anyone who predicts Liam McCarthy taking a trip to the Marble City for the 11th time of the Cody era.
Shane Stapleton of the Irish Daily Star is in the majority in thinking that Kilkenny will win. “With Galway we know they’re capable of big days but with Kilkenny we know they always stand up on the day so it’s hard to go against them for that reason”. We can’t have any quibbles with Stapleton on that front and it’s a common theme among the GAA writers who’s opinion we canvassed.
“I think Kilkenny hold all the aces still, despite the supposed transition with all the big names retiring during the winter. They’ve proven that they’re rolling on seamlessly from last year and I think the holders are the team to beat” according to the Irish Daily Mail's Philip Lanigan. Lanigan, himself an accomplished club hurler says “in the Championship previews Tipperary were tipped across the board on the basis that they had the strongest squad in the country. Now it didn’t boil down to that, Kilkenny have shown that the starting 15 they have is the best in the country. Eoin Larkin the second oldest player in the team was tipping over points in the 70th minute in the Leinster final so they defy convention”
John Fogarty of the Irish Examiner, Pat Nolan of the Irish Mirror and Shane McGrath of the Irish Daily Mail all go for Kilkenny with only Jason Byrne of the Irish Sun speaking up in favour of Galway. A native of Donegal, Byrne called Galway home for many years while he worked as a journalist and broadcaster with Galway Bay FM among others and he’s going for his former county of residence.
“They’ve finally got that extra bit of character and resilience that they maybe lacked 3 years ago when they played Kilkenny. They’ll have learned a lot from their Leinster final defeat I think Liam will be heading west of the Shannon for the first time since 1988”. Byrne gives good reason for his confidence in the Maroon. “The excitement they have in the forward line and with the experience they have in the team I definitely think they can do it this time”
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