Limerick
Their recent semi-final history involves…victories in 2020 and 2018, plus a gut-wrenching loss to Kilkenny in 2019. John Kiely’s side also denied the Deise silverware in the 2020 Munster and All-Ireland deciders.
Their championship so far…saw them reach unprecedented heights in the second-half of the provincial final against Tipperary. Limerick got the job done in the semi-final win over Cork where some of their big guns underperformed and they were well below par for the opening 35 minutes of the final. But the manner by which they blew Liam Sheedy’s men away during the second period sent shockwaves around the country.
Reasons to be optimistic…where do you start? They’re reigning Munster and All-Ireland champions, and look like they’re clicking into gear at the right time. Kyle Hayes is in Hurler of the Year form at wing-back and Cian Lynch, a former winner of that award, is pulling the strings from centre-forward. Also, Limerick’s strength in depth remains one of their biggest pluses.
Cause for concern…it won’t be keeping them up at night, but the Treaty are well aware of the goal threat Waterford possess. Liam Cahill reflected after the All-Ireland final that they needed to score two or three goals to win the game, and they’ll target green flags once again this evening.
A dilemma for the manager is…do they put a man-marker on Austin Gleeson if he drifts out the field? Dan Morrissey is back in the starting team at full-back and he’s man who’ll pick up Gleeson close to goal. The Mount Sion ace will spend time out the field to leave space for Dessie Hutchinson inside. Morrissey’s decision stay at home or follow his man is a crucial one.
Waterford
Their recent semi-final history involves…a four-point win over Kilkenny in last November’s clash. Waterford’s previous semi-final appearance came in 2017, when they dispatched Cork by 4-19 to 0-20.
Their championship so far…has gathered serous momentum after a slow start. Hampered by injuries, Liam Cahill’s team fell to Clare in Munster and stuttered over Laois in round 2 of the backdoor. Since then they’ve dumped out contenders Galway and Tipperary in impressive fashion.
Reasons to be optimistic…the speed and athleticism Waterford have shown in recent weeks makes their hard-running game extremely difficult to stop. Shane O’Brien has performed admirably after replacing Stephen O’Keeffe, while Shane Bennett and Peter Hogan have shone in new positions. Stephen Bennett and Dessie Hutchinson bring considerable scoring threat up front, while Jamie Barron has provided huge energy at midfield since recovering from injury.
Cause for concern…the fact this is their fourth weekend on the bounce in action. That’s not easy on the bodies, but Cahill will argue their team is young enough to withstand the heavy schedule. Will it mean legs are heavy in the final quarter against a Limerick side known for their exceptional fitness levels? Time will tell.
A dilemma for the manager is…what do they do if Lynch starts to have joy on centre-back Shane Bennett? The Deise man has played most of his hurling at senior level in attack, so Lynch’s ability to pick locks will test his defensive skill set in Croke Park. Cahill will have a plan for Lynch, whether that involves Barron dropping back to provide cover, or perhaps Conor Gleeson coming into the team to man-mark him.
Cork
Their recent semi-final history involves…heartbreak. The Rebels lost to Limerick (2018) and Waterford (2017) in recent years. They have a poor record at GAA headquarters, having failed to win any of their last six games at the venue since 2013.
Their championship so far…saw then run Limerick to eight points in the Munster semi-final, with the concession of two goals before half-time and a missed penalty proving costly. Cork built steadily since then with wins over Clare and Dublin, although the air gets thinner facing Kilkenny in Croke Park.
Reasons to be optimistic…Cork’s youthful energy and speed means they should be well suited to Jones’ Road. Kieran Kingston’s team have a real scoring threat in Jack O’Connor and they’ve hit five goals in their last two games while conceding just one. The full-back line have shored things up with Robert Downey looking at home on the edge of the D.
Cause for concern…is can they win the middle third battle ground tomorrow? Kilkenny, as they always do, will turn centre-field into a war zone. Cork players will have no time on the ball and this is a game where the hook, block and tackle counts of either team will tell a lot. Kingston will be hoping the work-rate and aggression of Robbie O’Flynn, Seamus Harnedy and Conor Cahalane can give them a platform to launch ball inside to their talented trio in the full-forward line.
A dilemma for the manager is…how early does he spring Shane Kingston and Alan Connolly? U20 stars Shane Barrett and Connolly have made impacts off the bench in the championship to date, justifying Kingston’s decision to blood them at senior level at the expense of the U20 side. Barrett is set to make his first championship start in place of Kingston. Playing their third game in 15 days, the energy provided by Kingston and Connolly could be crucial if they’re given enough time to make their mark.
Kilkenny
Their recent semi-final history involves…a collapse in last year’s semi-final against Waterford. That disastrous second-half showing will no doubt be referenced in the Kilkenny dressing room before they take the field tomorrow. A year earlier, the gave one of the greatest displays under Brian Cody by dumping out reigning champions Limerick in the last four.
Their championship so far…has been very straightforward. They retained their Leinster crown with a nine-point win over an understrength Dublin outfit that lost four players to Covid pre-game and Eoghan O’Donnell to injury after three minutes. But the Cats’ marathon extra-time semi-final win over Wexford showed that it will take something special to gun down Cody’s men this year.
Reasons to be optimistic…the strength of their bench. All seven subs introduced against Wexford got themselves on the scoresheet and a further four found the range against Dublin. Walter Walsh, Cillian Buckley, James Bergin and Michael Carey have all made big contributions as replacements so far. Richie Hogan has yet to see a minute of action but his big game experience could be required on Sunday.
Cause for concern…the standard of opposition they’ve faced so far. Dublin and Wexford suffered early championship exits so it’s hard to tell how much Kilkenny have been tested to date. They’re facing a Cork team riding the crest of a wave after successive championship wins in the last two weeks.
A dilemma for the manager is…how they deal with Cork’s pace at the back. Conor Browne has not recovered sufficiently from a recent hamstring injury to make the squad, with Carey coming in at wing-back in place of him. The Young Irelands defender put his hand up for a starting jersey in recent games and his speed will be required against this fast Rebels attack.
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