IT’S ALL-IRELAND hurling final week. But not as we know it.

It must have been extremely strange for the Galway and Kilkenny players in the wake of the drawn game trying to figure out how they should react. All-Ireland finals are such mentally draining affairs that getting ready for round two is a challenge.

Over the past few weeks they will have been readying themselves, absorbing the lessons of the drawn match and getting themselves in the right shape for another tilt at lifting the Liam McCarthy Cup.

Outside of those camps, there is not too much chat about the game. It’s a bit of a slowburner in terms of the build-up albeit the demand for tickets in Galway is remarkably high. The football final last Sunday has overshadowed it given the uniqueness of that pairing and the Donegal celebrations that followed.

The only item that has brought the hurling back on the agenda has been Joe Canning’s comments about Henry Shefflin. Even at that I felt there was too much made of them when the context of the whole interview is considered. Joe is a good lad and he meant no ill-feeling towards Henry

It’s been interesting to observe the vibes emanating from both camps. The positivity coming from Galway is incredible. Tom Helebert has spoken of his view that there is another 20% improvement in his team. Anthony Cunningham has pinpointed how their attack can progress.

And James Skehill has outlined his view that the Galway players now understand what playing in an All-Ireland final entails. I don’t think he is correct in that case. They have participated in one All-Ireland final but these deciders are always vastly different occasions. Galway appear to be on a crest of a wave after getting a draw whereas the silence emerging from Kilkenny speaks volumes.

For everything this great team have won, it was largely down to their greatest player that they hauled themselves back into contention in the drawn game. Henry Shefflin needs assistance on Sunday. It is to Kilkenny’s benefit that they have plenty players capable of providing it.

Eoin Larkin is having an average season by his standards but is capable of exploding to life. I would rate Richie Power as a sensational forward who just had an off day in the drawn game. And Colin Fennelly, who I imagine has had his ears roasted by Brian Cody over the last couple of weeks, is a brilliant hurler. If this trio step up their contributions, it will be a greater challenge for Galway to tackle.

Pic: INPHO/James Crombie

But I firmly believe Kilkenny need to alter their make-up in attack. They cannot afford to go with an orthodox approach again. I would like to see them isolating their forwards as a product of greater movement and forcing Galway defenders into one on one situations. Kilkenny have strong runners in attack who can post scores, create chances or draw fouls. They should seek to use them more.

The drawn match settled into a recognisable pattern from an early juncture and Galway were never hit with the type of fury and intensity that I had expected. It will be interesting to see their response if that occurs on this occasion. They have their own forwards who need to improve the next day with David Burke and Cyril Donnellan, stars to date this season, quiet and ineffective in the drawn game.

Galway boast key assets in their youth and their speed which they can utilise to unlock Kilkenny’s defence. Yet at the other end if Kilkenny’s attack starts to dominate, it is difficult to know how Galway can alter matters. I was speaking to an astute observer of Galway hurling from the county this week and he expressed his fear that the weakness of their defensive replacements could be their undoing.

The opinion appears to have transferred in favour of Galway since the drawn match but while positivity is a useful tool to harness, it needs to be tempered at some stage. Kilkenny have gone about their business quietly while there is huge scope for improvement in their attack and in the ability of Michael Fennelly to influence the game from his midfield berth.

They have proven players and there is a greater certainty about their ability to perform on marquee occasions. For all the excitement about Galway, there is more assurance about Kilkenny. And that can prove decisive.

This was the week when…Tipperary made a very popular decision with the appointment of their new manager. There has been widespread acclaim for the appointment of Eamon O’Shea and I feel that it is important that he is back on board. The expectation is that the long-serving stars like Brendan Cummins, Eoin Kelly and Lar Corbett will now stay on because of the standing that O’Shea commands.
But they must realise that bounce will only carry them so far. They are off the pace after this year and were Galway to win the All-Ireland, could be even more so give the different tactical system that they use. For O’Shea there are challenges as well. He is hugely capable and personable but he is now a manager, not a coach, and that will mean different responsibilities.

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Daithí Regan is a former All-Ireland winning hurler who is giving his expert opinion for TheScore.ie of the key moments that will decide the destination of the Liam McCarthy Cup this year. Regan is an established hurling analyst for TV3 and Newstalk, appearing regularly on the station’s Off The Ball programme.Don’t miss his post-match analysis of next Sunday’s game between Galway and Kilkenny.