Favourites’ tag rests with Kilkenny

Kilkenny and Clare are the two best teams in U-21 hurling at this time and their meeting in Saturday’s All-Ireland final should be a thrilling contest.
Opinions are divided as to which team will carry the favourites’ tag with Kilkenny just about getting the nod, following their impressive and comprehensive win over holders and competition favourites, Galway, in the semi-final.
The Noresiders have, on paper at least, had a more difficult route to the final, whereas Clare, apart from the Munster final, have had an easy passage to the decider.
Given that Clare and Waterford had produced some excellent games at minor level in the past three years, the meeting of these teams in the provincial U-21 semi-final was expected to produce an exciting game.
It didn’t materialise, as Clare scored a runaway victory to go through to play Tipperary. In front of a big home following, they had to rely on a last-minute goal from substitute Niall Arthur to claim only their second ever title at this level.
Meanwhile, Kilkenny had 11 points to spare over Wexford in the Leinster semi-final and they followed this with an easy 20-point success over Laois in the final.
While the Noresiders have four players on the county’s senior panel, none were called on during last Sunday’s All-Ireland senior drawn final with Galway.
Ritchie Doyle and Cillian Buckley have made a number of appearances for the senior side during the year and are key figures in the U-21 line-up.
In contrast, seven of those expected to start for Clare on Saturday played in the senior championship in 2012, while a further three of what is expected to be the starting team, were part of the senior panel that saw league action earlier in the season.
Clare mentors have made no secret of their delight at the fact that Kilkenny will provide the opposition this week. A two-point defeat in the All-Ireland minor final in 2010 led to huge disappointment in the Clare camp. It was a game that the Banner side could and, in the view of many, should have won.
Two-thirds of that team will have the opportunity to avenge that result on Saturday. Kilkenny will have a similar number of players from their 2010 minor team in their ranks this week and they, no doubt, will be keen to confirm that result.
Much has been made of the result in the challenge game between the counties back in March. Clare had a runaway win in that game but the word on the ground is that the Leinster county were short a number of key players for that outing.
In addition to Doyle and Buckley, Kilkenny will be looking to goalkeeper Dylan Walsh, Willie Hyland, Luke Harney, Ollie Walsh, John Power, Padraig Walsh and Ger Aylward to give the an edge this week.
The Clare line-up is expected to be similar to that which played in the semi-final, when Cathal McInerney won a recall to the starting line-up.
Paul Flanagan, Seadna Morey and Patrick O’Connor will fill key roles in defence. There is speculation that Tony Kelly will switch to midfield to renew his partnership with Colm Galvin, with Shane Golden going into the half-forward line.
Team captain Conor McGrath, Cathal O’Connell, Podge Collins and Aaron Cunningham will be hoping to break down the Kilkenny defence and get through for the scores that Clare will need if they are to win back a title won for the only time in 2009.
There were times in the Munster final against Tipperary and again in the semi-final against Antrim when Clare were guilty of over-elaboration, particularly in the early stages of those games. A repeat of this could prove costly against a team of Kilkenny’s quality.
It has all the ingredients for a top-class game. Kilkenny’s semi-final against a Galway team that included 10 members of the Tribesmen’s senior squad entitles them to the favourites’ tag and it will take a great performance from Clare to achieve the victory they crave.

Final referee
CORK’S Diarmuid Kirwan will referee Saturday’s U-21 final, which will throw in at 7pm. The game will be shown live on TG4.
The curtain raiser is the U-21B final, in which Roscommon will play Kildare at 5pm.

Extra time
IN the event of Saturday’s final ending in a draw, extra time will be played.