ALL-IRELAND HURLING FINAL: Nicky Englishsays this Kilkenny panel will have really earned their vaunted place in the history books if they overcome Tipperary to complete the four-in-a-row

TO FOLLOW the head or the heart? I expect this is going to be a fantastic game. It’s the final most people wanted. You have Kilkenny going for four-in-a-row, which would rightly represent the crowning glory for the greatest team I have ever seen.

The team they have traditionally loved to beat the most, and who love to beat them in return, are coming up to face them. And Tipperary are coming to Croke Park with what seems all the necessary credentials.

The two best sides are in the All-Ireland final, which hurling deserves and needs, as the suspicion remains that the two best teams haven’t been in it for the past two years.

It sets the scene for a massive collision. There is so much colourful history to the Kilkenny-Tipperary rivalry. Even if Tipp haven’t been winning Munster titles or turning up to deny them All-Irelands for many years, they still have the better record against Kilkenny in September.

The simple Kilkenny response is that this record doesn’t mean that much in the modern era as Kilkenny have won so much, and Tipperary so little, since 1970.

The current Kilkenny team are attempting to go against tradition and beat Tipperary in an All-Ireland final – which adds more spice, and possibly more pressure.

Kilkenny have only raised their standards in fits and spurts during the present championship campaign. We saw their best regularly, and unusually, in the league – culminating in the second half of the final and extra-time when they pulled away from Tipperary.

We’ve only seen their very best in the championship for a period of the second half in the Leinster semi-final against Galway.

The feeling persists that their highest peaks may have been reached in August and September of last year.

This is a natural consequence of going for four-in-a-row. However, a drop-off from their very best of 2008 – when they had so much in hand from the rest – should not preclude them from winning the All-Ireland final of 2009.

When looking more closely at Kilkenny this season, we see a team that has conceded more goals than the norm, but that has operated without Noel Hickey, a rock at full back in Brian Cody teams for a long time. It would have been impossible to start him, especially considering John Tennyson’s tour de force in the semi-final defeat of Waterford.

Brian Hogan has also been injured, but he did return the last day and played well. Cha Fitzpatrick has been a fixture, but hasn’t shown true form yet this year after a bout of mumps. It’s not really a surprise that Derek Lyng, another long-time favourite of Cody’s, has come in to replace Fitzpatrick. However, the midfield chemistry doesn’t look as balanced as it would with Cha at his best, beside either Lyng or Michael Rice. Cha’s scoring contribution will be missed.

In the forwards, Kilkenny have been more inconsistent than ever before – different men delivering on different days.

This is generally interpreted positively, but is open to debate.

Against Galway, Henry Shefflin and Eoin Larkin provided the answers. Against Dublin it was Martin Comerford. Against Waterford, it was Shefflin at his imperious best, with good support from Eddie Brennan when at centre forward.

The negative is that only Shefflin and Larkin have survived replacement by Cody. So many alterations over the 70 minutes is unusual for Kilkenny.

Still, Lyng, TJ Reid and Richie Hogan have been coming in and performing so it would appear internal competition remains intense. Two of those are going to start tomorrow, though, which possibly reduces options on the bench, and again the fact there are two changes on the starting line-up is unusual for Kilkenny – although Hogan possibly merited a start before now considering his league final performance.

I feel Kilkenny cannot under-perform and beat Tipperary; a step up is required from the championship form.

Tipperary are at the other end of the scale in terms of experience, with men fresh out of minor successes making a profound impact so far this season. In particular they must be enjoying the underdogs’ tag.

They have been progressing steadily. Their defence against Limerick looked at its best all year with Pádraic Maher so effective at full back and Paul Curran relishing his move to the corner.

Conor O’Mahony, another early -season mumps casualty, seemed to be approaching his powerful best in the semi-final.

The forwards have the ability to put up a big score against anybody, if they get the supply, The key is a greater capacity and consistency of gathering primary possession in the half forwards and midfield area. This has been a problem all year.

In midfield, Shane McGrath, who has been struggling with his energy levels like Cha Fitzpatrick, needs to find his All Star form.

And the half-forward line definitely need to win more clean ball. John O’Brien needs to continue to take up the leadership roll and tomorrow the battle he faces with Tommy Walsh will be crucial.With better use of the ball by the half-backs and consistent ball-winning by the half-forwards – especially from their own puck-outs – Larry Corbett can continue his fine form. Noel McGrath is the other vital scorer, along with the potentially dangerous Séamus Callanan.

The reliance on Eoin Kelly has passed, even if he still remains a crucial cog in the overall system.

I believe Tipperary will get the chance to win this All-Ireland final but this is the big time and the big test – no margin for error will be permitted.

Tipperary need to test Kilkenny’s energy levels and turn this into a test of movement, speed and skill.

The temptation to stand toe-to- toe after the early experiences of the league final might be high, but the high-tempo approach is the best route.

Kilkenny have so many great players – Shefflin, Larkin, Tommy Walsh, JJ Delaney and others with the potential to be great, like Richie Power and possibly Hogan.

And they still have a bench that can make a big impact - such as TJ Reid and John Dalton, both of who would most likely make it into the Tipperary team and every other team in the country.

The heart believes Tipp can win, but the head still says Kilkenny will just get over the line. However, if Tipperary get to the final 10 minutes, the four-in-a-row ambition will becoming more of a millstone around Kilkenny necks.

If they do claim victory tomorrow, this great Kilkenny team will have really earned their four-in-a-row and their place in the history books.