A look at both teams statistics in the run-up to the final

Kilkenny scorers

H Shefflin (0-21 frees, 0-2 65s, 1-0 pen) 1-27

E Brennan 2-8

E Larkin 1-9

A Fogarty 2-5

J Fitzpatrick (0-1 free) 0-6

M Comerford 1-2

R Power 1-2

M Rice 0-2

TJ Reid 0-2

D Lyng 0-2

M Fennelly 0-1

R Hogan 0-1

W O'Dwyer 0-1

Kilkenny's path to the final

Leinster semi-final: Kilkenny 2-24, Offaly 0-12

Leinster final: Kilkenny 5-21, Wexford 0-17

All-Ireland semi-final: Kilkenny 1-23 Cork 0-17

Average scored: 2-25

Average conceded: 0-16

Waterford scorers

E Kelly (1-25 frees, 0-2 65s) 6-34

J Mullane 2-18

E McGrath 0-13

D Bennett (0-10 frees) 0-11

D Shanahan 1-5

S Molumphy 1-5

G Hurney 1-1

S Prendergast 0-3

J Nagle 0-4

D Coffey 0-1

P Flynn 0-1

M Walsh 0-1

J Kennedy 0-1

Waterford's path to the final

Munster quarter-final: Clare 2-26, Waterford 0-23

Round One qualifiers: Waterford 6-18 Antrim 0-15

Round Two qualifiers: Waterford 2-18, Offaly 0-18

All-Ireland quarter-final: Waterford 2-19, Wexford 3-15

All-Ireland semi-final: Waterford 1-20, Tipperary 1-18

Average scored: 2-21

Average conceded: 1-19

Previous championship clashes

2004: All-Ireland semi-final: Kilkenny 3-12, Waterford 0-18

1998: All-Ireland semi-final: Kilkenny 1-11, Waterford 1-10

1963: All-Ireland final: Kilkenny 4-17, Waterford 6-8

1959: All-Ireland final replay: Waterford 3-12, Kilkenny 1-10

1959: All-Ireland final: Waterford 1-17, Kilkenny 5-5

1957: All-Ireland final Kilkenny 4-10, Waterford 3-12

MacCarthy Cup roll of honour

30: Kilkenny

30: Cork

25: Tipperary

7: Limerick

6: Dublin

6: Wexford

4: Galway

4: Offaly

3: Clare

2: Waterford

1: Kerry

1: Laois

1: London

Three-in-a-row winners

4 - Cork (1892-93-94; 1941-42-43*; 1952-53-54; 1976-77-78)

2 - Tipperary (1898-99-2000; 1949-50-51)

1 - Kilkenny (1911-12-13)

*Cork went on to complete the four-in-a-row in 1944