Replying To tirawleybaron:  "Match not even sold out yet"

Replying To slayer:  "...cause every night I lie in bed
The brightest colours fill my head
A million dreams are keeping me awake ....

The day of the all Ireland hurling final is the greatest day in Irish sport. Those who have played in it have shed tears recalling memories; those of us who are fans recall days of heroism or heartbreak. All star awards have been won on the day and single acts of genius have sent the Liam MacCarthy cup all over the country. On Sunday two of hurling's traditional 'big three' face each other for their sixth final of this decade. The first, where Tipperary stopped Kilkenny's 'drive for five' was arguably the greatest game of hurling ever played. In between those two finals at opposite ends of the decade have been amazing days. We have seen three replays, Clare Galway and Limerick end absences at the top table and a new format seeing more games, bigger squads and shocks galore. But the decade ends as it began, with these two great opponents doing battle for the biggest trophy of all.

Croke Park on all Ireland final day is special. The colour, the atmosphere, the pre match parade. It can be a surreal experience even when supporting a team not to mind playing or mentoring. There is that adrenaline rush when your team comes out onto the field followed by the nervousness of the warm up. But when they get behind the band there is that unique feeling of pride that is hard to beat. People you know, care about, down there as Gladiators in the Coliseum. There is the singing of the National anthem complete with the last line 'C'Mon your_county' and that joy in the heart right before throw in.

Hurling is a game that has changed over the last forty years. The ground game, overhead pulling and wild swings have been replaced by possession, control and repeated hits to the body. Yet the game has retained that unique trait that lifts the hearts, ignites passion and offers belief. Hurling is bred into us. It has always been. All week both sides will prepare as best they can. These have been the most consistent sides in Championship this year and rightly take their places in the final. Tactics will be ran through and statistics will be analysed. Yet there is something about Kilkenny and Tipperary that suggests all those things will go out the window at throw in time and hell will be unleashed.

Cody

Brian Cody is known to those of us who are older as a fine Kilkenny player. Captain of the all Ireland minor winners in 1972, he won Senior All Irelands in the 1970's and 1980's in a dominant Kilkenny outfit again captaining the '82 side. As a Manager he is the greatest ever at Inter County level. Seventeen all Ireland finals, eleven wins, two draws, four defeats. His ability to regenerate the Kilkenny hurling machine is unquestionable. Many times he has made the call to end a player's career in the Black and Amber. The more his teams win, the more he earns the right to make those calls. His current team are not of the same class as teams with Delaney, Tyrell, Carey, Shefflin or Brennan. He has taken a group of under 21 players who were beaten by Westmeath in Leinster in 2016, outclassed in the all Ireland final of 2017 and moulded them into Senior finalists. He trusts the players and the Kilkenny system to deliver. The intensity shown when beating Limerick in the semi final was vintage Cody. A bit of know how mixed with ferocity and the fuse was lit.

Sheedy

Liam Sheedy represents all that is good in Tipperary hurling. When Wexford dumped Tipp out at the quarter final stage in 2007 there were clear problems in the camp. Brendan Cummins and Eoin Kelly hadn't started the game. Damien Fitzhenry had finished them. There is a sort of honour in Tipperary that means they will not withdraw their playing services or cause division as has been seen in other counties. Instead Sheedy was put forward as Manager. In his first year Tipperary were Munster Champions. In his second year they retained Munster and lost the All Ireland final to Kilkenny. In his third year they lost to Cork in Munster and took a scenic route to end the Cat's five in a row quest. Sheedy returned to the helm at the end of the 2018 campaign. Two points from four games in Munster 2018 became the maximum in 2019. When Limerick broke down Tipp's puck out strategy in the Munster Final heads dropped and the home side took the spoils. But to the credit of all connected to the panel they overcame Laois and then a superb Wexford team in the semi final. Sheedy has brought them to within seventy minutes of the promised land.

Match ups

Tipperary's launchpad has been their half back line. From the opening game against Cork this line has been strong in aerial duels with the ability to pick out forwards for scores. At times their full forward line has been lethal. Sheedy has got the players extremely fit and in Seamus Callinan they have hurling's finest goal grabber since Dan Shanahan in 2007. Tipperary have recovered very well from the loss of Patrick Maher a proven ball winner.

TJ Reid was magnificent in the semi final. His experience in getting on the ball and setting up runners for scores was vital to Cody's men. Walter Walsh is always a threat and in Richie Hogan Kilkenny have a magician even if he is not fit to play seventy minutes. Adrian Mullen chipped in with a fine haul in the semi final and whilst this Kilkenny team are not the goal merchants of a decade ago, Colin Fennelly is capable of raising at least one green flag.

Up for the match

This is always an entertaining program to watch in advance of finals between these teams. In 2014 Joe Hayes and Fan Larkin traded verbal jousts. We have seen the legendary 'Rattler' Byrne (RIP) speak about his days in the Tipp colours. There will be no shortage of All Ireland medals regardless of what guests emerge and with both counties sharing a border the one thing they won't want to share is Liam MacCarthy.

Where it could be won

Perhaps if Tipperary study Kilkenny's semi final win lessons could be learned. If Tipperary keep their full forward line moving close to goal they could cause Kilkenny trouble. Kilkenny are able to upset any team and once in a war they are superb at moulding a victory from the ashes of battle.

In the Munster Final Tipperary scored two excellent goals by running at the opposition. They can find space and punish teams with their movement. Kilkenny conceded a semi final goal to Shane Dowling where the ball was ran from deep. However their aerial prowess means if Tipperary go long scores could be harder to come by. All the more reason for manic intensity from the Cat's forwards to stop the ball being worked upfield.

In 2016 Seamus Callinan ran riot in the final. Many people asked why Cody didn't play a 'sweeper' in front of him. Cody's strength is the ability to adapt. If Kilkenny need to play with extra players in defence on Sunday he might just do that to win.

Bring on the day

It has been difficult (more difficult as time has gone on since July 27) to be from Limerick and watch the day draw nearer. It must be the same for Wexford folk who saw their team lose just one championship game all year and who are not there on hurling's greatest day.

As Sunday draws closer though there is the realisation that we are living in great hurling times. Four different counties have won each of the last four finals. One of those sides will win it again in 2019 but they will deserve it. The current format is punishing with Management teams wondering when is best to peak or how to maintain a level that gives them the best chance of winning the final. Both of these teams have found their way to the final. Good luck to them, either will make great champions.

Croker will be a see of colour. Blue and Gold, Black and Amber. We should see a frantic game and bar a draw there will be a group of people, their friends, their families, devastated. We have to realise that no matter how much financial assistance these counties put into their game, behind it all are a group of human beings giving hours towards our entertainment. Relatives will be stressed just hoping for the best for their loved ones. There will be thrills and spills and above all else there will be THE greatest occasion in Irish sport.

Aftermath

Brian Cody versus Liam Sheedy. Cody's record will hardly be bettered in the next fifty years. But given how rarely he loses to the same opposition Manager, Sheedy could steal a march on his great rival on Sunday. One of these Managers has the chance to become the greatest showman even if just for a year and young children in both counties will go to bed on Saturday night imagining themselves playing in a final one day. We have all been there in our dreams. Some are lucky enough to get there.

This is indeed the greatest show. Good luck to all, safe travels.

Prediction

Having seen both sides up close in 2019, the gut feeling is that Tipp will shade this."

Replying To Killarney.87:  "Don't worry this thread will be fairly busy from Sunday onwards."

Replying To ballydalane:  "It needs Mayo in the final."

Replying To Buachaillbui:  "That's the shot. Now we're rolling. Great summation there Slayer.

The parade is like nothing else. The anticipation rising, the anthem, the hairs on your neck tingle when it's played. The pots boiling now, you're so close to it, everyone's dreams are still intact at that very moment, it's like the whole ground is as one. Waiting, waiting. The ball is thrown in and we're all swept away. It is the greatest day."

Replying To arock:  "Summary? Jaysus I would hate to see the main piece. That lad will sure struggle with twitter."

Replying To tiobraid:  "One thing I'm getting sick of hearing is that kk have psychologically the upper hand on tipp in recent times. Kk have beaten tipp in the last 10 years on the occasions they probably had the better hurlers. Tipp couldve won in 2014 had the right man took that free.
Since 2009 in all Ireland's it's kk 3, tipp 2 and 1 draw. Came quite close to being in tipps favour. In the 3 finals kk won , tipp were close in 2 and played poorly in the other one and lost by 4. In general I think Tipp play their best games in finals. Kk haven't beaten tipp in cship hurling since a replayed all Ireland 5/6 seasons ago so the media and the general public could do with give us some good decent analysis instead of spouting rubbish!
Rant over !!"

Replying To festinog:  "He thought the 140 character limit was a reference to how many people he could mention per post."

Replying To tiobraid:  "One thing I'm getting sick of hearing is that kk have psychologically the upper hand on tipp in recent times. Kk have beaten tipp in the last 10 years on the occasions they probably had the better hurlers. Tipp couldve won in 2014 had the right man took that free.
Since 2009 in all Ireland's it's kk 3, tipp 2 and 1 draw. Came quite close to being in tipps favour. In the 3 finals kk won , tipp were close in 2 and played poorly in the other one and lost by 4. In general I think Tipp play their best games in finals. Kk haven't beaten tipp in cship hurling since a replayed all Ireland 5/6 seasons ago so the media and the general public could do with give us some good decent analysis instead of spouting rubbish!
Rant over !!"

Replying To StoreysTash:  "Cyril Farrell was talking about the traditional style of the All-Ireland, yawn.......
What is traditional style? Do people not think KK and Tipp play a modern game? Is Padraig Walsh not a sweeper, does Tipp half-back line not drop back to cover the full back line, he didn't elaborate which is typical of dinosaur journalism.
Apart from the teams involved, I see little or nothing that Tipp or KK do differently from any other team.
Traditional hurling was ground hurling, breaking hurls across lads being good manly play, a full back out to kill a full forward, a back lumping the ball down the field with no thought, I don't know how anyone laments the loss of traditional hurling.........."

Replying To Tipptipp:  "Lads to be taking it so personal,Cyril like many others refer to it as a Tradiol final,because of the history and success of both counties,if cork were playing either tipp or Kilkenny,he would say the same,ala the holy trinity as they are called.!"