1. Joey Holden’s big test
Kilkenny’s new full-back, JJ Delaney’s replacement Joey Holden, sailed through a one-sided rout of Wexford at Nowlan Park.
But it’s safe to assume that the Ballyhale man will have his hands full with Joe Canning, Galway’s red-hot forward who has helped himself to 3-24 in just three championship outings this year.
Canning has been on fire in Galway’s last two games, hitting 2-3 from play against Dublin before taking over free-taking duties again to finish with a massive 1-15 haul in the victory over Laois.
Galway boss Anthony Cunningham is sure to try and exploit Holden’s relative lack of experience on the edge of the Kilkenny square.
And in ace marksman Canning, he possesses a player capable of punishing even the smallest of errors.
2. Galway’s full-back line
There’s a feeling that Galway’s full-back line hasn’t been tested yet.
Dublin’s Mark Schutte showed enough in the drawn match with Galway to suggest that the Tribesmen can be made to look vulnerable close to their own goal.
Galway’s back trio were much tighter second time around, with Padraig Mannion picking up Schutte from the start, and were not exposed in the Laois romp either.
But Kilkenny have players close to goal who will give Galway the test they need over the full 70 minutes, and Mannion could be deployed to pick up Ger Aylward.
Kilkenny have attackers who will interchange constantly and keep Galway’s defenders very much on their toes. They may have to go zonal to try and keep tabs on the roaming Cats.
3. The touchline battle
Galway appears to have benefited from managerial continuity, which hasn’t always been the case.
This is Anthony Cunningham’s fourth successive year at the helm and he has now assembled not only a powerful starting 15, but a quality bench of replacements to call upon.
In a county where club rivalry is fierce, Cunningham has his county players pulling very much in the one direction and their form over the past two games has been impressive.
In Kilkenny, Brian Cody has been calling the shots since 1999 and his longevity has been a key factor in the county’s remarkable success.
Cunningham clearly rattled Cody on the touchline at Croke Park in 2012 and will feel confident that he can do so again as the battle lines are drawn once more.
While both men are capable of displaying tactical nous, this is one game that won’t follow a rigid pattern. There’s too much attacking class in the respective teams for this to be the case.
4. Galway’s young guns
Padraig Mannion has been one of the stars of championship 2015 for Galway.
Johnny Coen was roasted by Mark Schutte in the drawn Dublin game but Mannion switched across to curb the Sky Blue hitman, before picking him up successfully in the replay.
In attack, Mannion’s brother Cathal has lit up the summer and that memorable hat-trick against the Dubs will be talked about for some time to come.
Jason Flynn’s finger injury came at an unfortunate time but the forward star is fit and raring to go for Sunday.
The emergence of former underage stars Flynn and Mannion as senior players to be reckoned with has taken a huge amount of pressure off Joe Canning.
And if Kilkenny decide to devote too much attention to the full-forward, his younger sidekicks will have the space in which to profit.
Galway, for a change, have real attacking options and will provide Kilkenny with a stern test.
5. So who’ll win it?
We won’t be heading down to the bookies to lump on either of these two teams, let’s put it that way.
They fought out a classic draw last year in Tullamore before Kilkenny won the replay but Galway’s Jekyll and Hyde nature makes them impossible to predict.
In one 70 minutes against Tipperary in the 2014 All-Ireland qualifier, Galway shot the lights out before capitulating in spectacular fashion down the home straight.
Is there another team in the country who could look so good and lead by six points before losing by nine in a 20-minute spell?
It’s time for Galway to stand up and be counted but Kilkenny are desperate to prove that even without a host of high-profile retirements, they remain the team to beat.
Don’t ask us to call this one but with head on chopping block, it’s Kilkenny. Just…
