"If they get on a run they are impossible to stop, that's the challenge to make sure they don't get on a run."

Hurler of the Year Richie Hogan and his Kilkenny team-mates will be going all out to nip the Galway challenge in the bud in Croke Park tomorrow.

Against Dublin (replay) and Laois, the Tribesmen built up a head of steam early on and ran away with both games so the Cats know they will have to tuned in right from the throw-in.

The 2012 Leinster final, which the Tribesmen won on a 2-21 to 2-11 scoreline , also illustrates Hogan's point.

"We were totally blown away . . . Galway just came with, and they do it every couple of years, an attitude that they would beat all the teams in the country put together on a certain day. They just destroyed us.

"I can't remember the attitude going up at the time. I can't remember if we were focused or weren't focused but we were that little bit off. And it is always said in our dressing room that if you are a little bit off you will be wiped out of it."

Fears over what impact the retirements of the likes of Henry Shefflin, JJ Delaney, Brian Hogan and Tommy Walsh would have on Kilkenny failed to materialise in the 24-point quarter-final demolition of Wexford.

Brian Cody has made one change to his starting line-up with Colin Fennelly preferred to John Power in the number 14 jersey.

Galway will travel to GAA headquarters in a confident frame of mind but manager Anthony Cunningham accepts that the Bob O'Keeffe holders represent an entirely different proposition to either Dublin or Laois.

"We want to win this on Sunday and it will be even on head-to-heads since 2012, so that's also a drive for us," he remarked. "We want to win the Leinster final.

"We've had some massive matches - last year even when there was very little in both matches. So there'll be very little in it the next day and the matches with Kilkenny are on a knife edge really. But, any of the top teams, you have to take your chances and defend well.

"If you don't, you could go six points down in a matter of minutes or, if they don't, we could go six up in a matter of minutes. That's how they have been and I don't see it being any different on Sunday."

Verdict - Kilkenny.

Galway team: Colm Callanan; Johnny Coen, John Hanbury, Padraig Mannion; Fergal Moore, Iarla Tannion, Daithi Burke; Andy Smith, Aidan Harte; David Burke, Cyril Donnellan, Jonathan Glynn; Davy Glennon, Joe Canning, Cathal Mannion.

Kilkenny team: Eoin Murphy; Paul Murphy, Joey Holden, Jackie Tyrrell; Padraig Walsh, Kieran Joyce, Cillian Buckley; Michael Fennelly, Conor Fogarty; Walter Walsh, Richie Hogan, TJ Reid; Ger Aylward, Colin Fennelly, Eoin Larkin.

Match details: Sunday; Croke Park; 4pm.

Referee: James McGrath.

Odds: Galway 11/4; Draw 10/1; Kilkenny 4/11.

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