Carrickshock and O'Loughlin Gaels go head to head in Sunday's eagerly awaited St Canice Credit Union Kilkenny Senior Hurling Championship final at Nowlan Park.

While Carrickshock are one of the traditional big players of Kilkenny hurling, becoming the first club to complete a four-in-a-row of county titles in the 1940s, they must look all the way back to 1951 for their most recent success.

O'Loughlin Gaels, on the other hand, will be aiming for their third title in the past ten years.

Despite lowering the colours of All-Ireland club champions Ballyhale Shamrocks in the semi-finals, Gaels will go into the game as underdogs, with Carrickshock priced as 4/6 favourites by the bookmakers.

Gaels will look to forward duo Mark Bergin and Danny Loughnane to provide the bulk of the scoring threat, while county centre back Brian Hogan is fit and in form again after missing the All-Ireland SHC final against Cork through injury.

For Carrickshock, the game could provide the fitting climax to Brendan Fennelly's final year in charge, with the Ballyhale native set to take over in Laois ahead of the 2011 Leinster championship.

They can call on a host of senior county stars, with defenders John Dalton and John Tennyson, midfielder Michael Rice and forward Richie Power all out of the top drawer, while Offaly's David Franks is another fine inter-county hurler in the Carrickshock side.

Throw-in at Nowlan Park on Sunday is at 3.30pm, with the big game preceded by the Kilkenny Minor Hurling Championship final between Dicksboro and Kilmacow (1.30pm). Tweet

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