OPEN SHUT AND CASE
Tipp hero predicts different game in Thurles & a very different result
EOIN KELLY expects Galway to prevail in Thurles in a more open affair than last week’s Leinster final stalemate at Croke Park.
But he believes both Kilkenny and Galway are good enough to make the All-ireland semi-finals at the end of the month.
The rivals were locked together at HQ last Sunday, both scoring 0-18 on an afternoon when defences dominated.
Former Tipp star Kelly (inset) is expecting a more open affair in the rematch at Semple
Stadium, which is being used because of a Michael Buble’s concert on Saturday night at Croke Park.
“It was amazing to watch the Munster final and then to flick across to the Leinster final – they were worlds apart,” said Kelly.
“There was intensity in the Munster final but it was free flowing and there was more skill on display, whereas with Kilkenny and Galway it was more of a physical battle.
“To see Billy Ryan, who was a slight player last year, latching onto the ball, I thought his physicality was really impressive.
“Brian Cody had his 50-plus (hurlers) back training last November to get ready for the physical battle with Galway and I think he’ll be very happy with the young guns having that bulk on to match them.
“The Leinster Championship hasn’t been great in years gone by. But, then you’d walk into a haymaker come August, in an Allireland semi-final or final against Leinster opposition.
“I don’t see Croke Park as being the ideal venue for a Leinster final either. You’ll see a change of view after Sunday’s Leinster final, it’ll be an open game, you’ll get more scores there and it will feel like more of an occasion.
“I remember being at two Leinster semi-finals in Thurles in 2002 – Wexford v Dublin, Kilkenny v Offaly, while Croke Park was at the final stages of being renovated and I’ll never forget the atmosphere that day.
“You can stroll along the street from the town up to your game, there’s easy access in and out.
“But, are Kilkenny going to be beaten by Galway three times in the championship as it rolls on? “It’s hard to do that. I still think Galway and Kilkenny are going to end up in an All-ireland semi-final.”
Two-time All-ireland winner Kelly doesn’t believe Galway left it behind them last weekend, when they let slip a three point lead after 68 minutes.
Kilkenny managed to reel in the All-ireland champions and Kelly speculates that Cody would have used David Burke’s comment that Galway no longer feared the Cats as motivation.
“There was a lot of hype in the week leading up to it with David Burke’s few comments,” Kelly told Paddy Power News.
“But they knew Kilkenny would come at them extra hard – not that Kilkenny would need motivation, but something like that would do the trick.
“Micheál Donoghue would have seen that coming, but I think Galway would feel they underperformed.
“They’ll be disappointed they didn’t play to their full potential and that’s something they have a week to rectify. It was always going to be a tight game. I expect Galway to push on and win the next one on Sunday.
“David Burke would have been disappointed when he saw the headline. I think it might have been taken out of context.
“But these are the little challenges that Galway have to handle as champions and odds-on favourites to win back-to-back championships.”