KILKENNY
Their recent form says… they remain very much the team to beat. The Cats have hoovered up seven of the last nine All-Ireland titles on offer. Tipp beat them in the 2010 decider and Brian Cody’s men crashed out against Cork in 2013 but it’s been a remarkable period of dominance for the Noresiders since 2006.
The player they cannot do without is… Richie Hogan. The Danesfort dynamo made his name as an inside forward but is now the conductor of the Kilkenny orchestra. Capable of operating at midfield or centre forward, Hogan is an elusive player who finds pockets of space to hurt the opposition. 2014 Hurler of the Year Hogan picked off 1-9 in Kilkenny’s march to another Leinster title.
They will be happy because… they have managed to cope, so far, without a host of retired players from last year’s All-Ireland winning campaign. And Joey Holden looks the part at full-back, having won his Leinster final battle with Joe Canning on points. They also find themselves in the last four of the All-Ireland series having come through another provincial campaign with minimum fuss.
They will be worried because… the strength in depth of their panel hasn’t been truly tested yet, plus the fact that Tipperary are on the other side of the draw. Tipp are the one team to consistently trouble Kilkenny since 2009 and if another big September showdown presents itself, the Cats will have to dig deep again.
TIPPERARY
Their recent form says… that they are Munster champions for the first time since 2012. The importance of that final victory over Waterford cannot be underestimated, as it presented boss Eamon O’Shea with his first piece of silverware in his third, and final, season at the helm. Beaten All-Ireland finalists last year, the feeling is that they can bridge the gap.
The player they cannot do without is… Seamus Callanan. The 2014 Hurler of the Year nominee has shown two sides to his game this summer. He scored two clinical goals against Limerick before producing an underrated and hard-working display in the Munster final victory over Waterford.
They will be happy because… they are back in an All-Ireland semi-final as Munster champions. The qualifier path was one they successfully negotiated last year but Tipp wanted to go through the front door this summer. They also won a tight game against Waterford, a nice contrast to their big victory over Limerick.
They will be worried because… they haven’t been able to get one over Kilkenny since the 2010 All-Ireland final. The Cats have ended Tipp’s championship interest in every season since then and it’s a psychological barrier that O’Shea and his players must crash through.
The five-week gap between Munster final and All-Ireland semi-final is relatively new territory also but O’Shea was coach in 2009 when Tipp learned the lessons of 2008 by delivering a big performance at Croke Park.
CORK
Their recent form says… that they are building up a nice head of steam. The Rebels may have lost to Waterford in the Munster semi-final but with a reconfigured team and a new gameplan, they successfully negotiated tricky qualifiers against Waterford and Clare.
Beaten All-Ireland finalists two years ago, Cork were thumped by Tipperary in last year’s semi-final.
The player they cannot do without is… Seamus Harnedy. The St Ita’s clubman missed the Waterford game through injury and his absence was keenly felt.
His return has allowed Harnedy to forge a lethal two-man inside line with Conor Lehane and the pair ran riot against Wexford. Harnedy scored 1-1 against the Slaneysiders before hitting 0-2 in the Clare win.
They will be happy because… they have tightened things up at the back. After leaking three goals to Waterford in the Munster semi-final, Cork kept clean sheets in the victories over Wexford and Clare. Mark Ellis is playing the sweeper role well, Aidan Walsh has found some form again and Patrick Horgan’s switch to a roving role around the half-forward line has provided him with a new lease of life.
They will be worried because… Galway boss Anthony Cunningham has had a good look at their sweeper system and can plan accordingly. Alan Cadogan had been used as an auxiliary midfielder but is not named to start on Sunday and Jimmy Barry-Murphy will tweak his system again.
For a man who has based his philosophy around a traditional 15 on 15 style, adopting a new and more modern gameplan is still very much a work in progress.
GALWAY
Their recent form says… that they are right in there with a chance of All-Ireland glory. The Tribesmen were competitive in the Leinster final against Kilkenny and that will provide them with grounds for optimism. Galway were All-Ireland finalists in 2012 but haven’t progressed beyond the quarter-final stage since, however. And in last year’s qualifier loss to Tipperary, they blew a six-point lead in the final 20 minutes, losing by nine.
The player they cannot do without is… Joe Canning. He’s still the man that makes Galway tick and the Portumna man was superb in the Leinster championship victories over Dublin and Laois. More subdued in the provincial decider, Canning still managed to cut loose for that sensational goal against Kilkenny. He will hope for a better supply of ball against Cork on Sunday and a fully-fit and firing Canning is a major threat for any opposition.
They will be happy because… there appears to be more of a ‘cut’ about them this year. Galway were ruthless in those wins over Dublin and Laois and the emergence of Cathal Mannion and Jason Flynn as scoring threats has taken some of the burden off Canning’s shoulders. At the other end of the pitch, Padraig Mannion has quickly developed into one of the finest man-markers in the game, as evidenced by his work on Dublin’s Mark Schutte. Cyril Donnellan’s return to fitness and form is another plus.
They will be worried because… of the Jekyll and Hyde nature of their play. Galway’s maddening inconsistency has been a regular feature of their displays since that last All-Ireland senior success in 1988. There’s also a feeling that they be exposed defensively and full-back John Hanbury is still settling into a pivotal role. If Joe Canning is shackled up front, do his fellow forwards possess the leadership skills to pick up the slack?
They also face a Cork side with growing momentum on Sunday while Galway are coming off a loss.
WATERFORD
Their recent form says… that they are on the right track but still have a road to travel. The Déise were unbeaten in League and championship until the Munster final defeat to Tipperary but they haven’t contested an All-Ireland senior final since 2008. They also crashed out of the qualifiers against Wexford last year but are a step further in the All-Ireland series after reaching a provincial decider.
The player they cannot do without is… Austin Gleeson. With Darragh Fives back from injury, could we see Gleeson pushed into a more advanced role for Waterford? His contribution has been massive since announcing his arrival on the senior intercounty stage with that stunning goal against Cork in Thurles last year. Adept in the half-back line or further forward, Gleeson brings energy and drive to the Waterford team.
They will be happy because… they have made huge progress already this year. Gaining promotion from Division 1B was a big achievement in itself but then Waterford kicked on and won the League title outright. Victory over Cork in the Munster semi-final opened the door to the All-Ireland series and now Waterford have the chance to crack on and reach the last four.
They will be worried because… the winning habit has been broken. Waterford now find themselves cast in the unfamiliar role as favourites ahead of Sunday’s quarter-final with Dublin. They have been operating nicely under the radar all year but the cat is now out of the bag in terms of how they set up and the surprise element is gone. Pauric Mahony’s injury absence may be more keenly felt as the stakes get higher.
Waterford have coped well without the prolific forward thus far but in a tight game like the Munster final, he could have made a big difference.
DUBLIN
Their recent form says… they still have plenty of work to do. The Dubs contested an All-Ireland semi-final in 2013, losing to Cork, but bowed out tamely against Tipperary at the quarter-final stage last year. They find themselves back in the last six again and will meet a Waterford side they relegated from Division 1A of the Allianz League in 2014.
The player they cannot do without is… Liam Rushe. The former Allstar began the championship season in attack but has returned to the centre back slot, where he appears far more comfortable. Showed huge leadership in the second half of the Limerick game, producing a couple of spectacular clean catches as the Sky Blues reeled in their opponents before claiming a gritty win. Rushe’s athleticism and ability to cover a huge amount of ground will be key factors against a roving Waterford attack.
They will be happy because… they have bounced back from their Leinster championship filleting against Galway. The Laois qualifier at O’Moore Park was a tricky one on paper but Dublin survived an O’Moore County fightback to close the game out.
Michael Carton’s decision to quit the panel ahead of the Limerick qualifier could have affected preparations but Dublin produced a display laced with character to come from eight points down. Paul Ryan found himself on the bench during the Leinster championship but has recaptured top form at just the right time.
They will be worried because… they are now facing a definite step up in class against Waterford. Can Dublin find enough scores to get past a defence that held Tipperary goalless in the Munster final? Dublin are also ranked as the outsiders of the six to claim All-Ireland glory and the weight of history is also against them. The Sky Blues haven’t lifted the Liam MacCarthy Cup since 1938.
