PUCK FARE:

Kilkenny stars out to emulate Kerry legends

THERE is a great picture of Pat Spillane, Ogie Moran, Páidí Ó Sé, Mikey Sheehy and Ger Power smiling into the camera after a night of training. These are the football legends who gathered eight All-Ireland medals during Kerry’s golden era under Mick O’Dwyer.

It took these footballers 12 seasons from the first win in 1975 to the defeat of Tyrone in 1986.

Should Kilkenny prevail on Sunday, someone will presumably gather Henry Shefflin, Michael Kavanagh, Noel Hickey and Eddie Brennan together as they will reach a similar milestone within 11 seasons.

They will also equal the record of hurling All-Ireland wins held by John Doyle and Christy Ring.

Six others are not far behind. Tommy Walsh, PJ Ryan, James Ryall, Derek Lyng, JJ Delaney and Martin “Gorta” Comerford are chasing a seventh All-Ireland, dating back to 2002.

Cody’s mighty haul of titles

BRIAN Cody’s phenomenal record as Kilkenny hurling manager since 1999 deserves further examination. We shall highlight the defeats to enhance the victories.

Cody has won 11 Leinster titles in 12 seasons, while the seven All-Irelands gathered since defeat to Cork in the 1999 decider is only rivalled by the Kerry footballers’ success in the 1970s and 1980s.

Their opening championship dismissal of Laois in Cody’s first year – 6-21 to 1-14 – looked destined to remain their greatest margin of victory but this was bettered in the 2005 Leinster semi-final when Offaly were beaten out the gate, 6-28 to 0-15.

Cody’s blackest day in charge was surely the 2004 All-Ireland final when Kilkenny registered their lowest ever score of his tenure, nine points, coupled with the greatest margin of defeat, eight points.

Three of their five championship defeats (in 51 games) under Cody came in these two seasons, 2004 and 2005, with a last-gasp strike from Wexford’s Michael Jacob famously sending Cody to his knees as he surveyed matters from just behind the Canal end goal. The solitary draw also came in 2004 but they beat Clare in the All-Ireland quarter-final replay, 1-11 to 1-9.

They have lost two All-Ireland semi-finals to Galway, in 2001 and 2005 (Galway lost both finals to Tipp and Cork respectively), with the latter defeat signalling the beginning of a 21-game winning streak that brings us to the present. Galway are no bogey team however, having been dealt with successfully on four occasions since.

Still searching for the elusive All-Ireland five-in-a row

ONLY three counties, Wexford, Cork and Kerry, have found themselves attempting to win the five-in-a-row in either hurling or football – and all three failed. Wexford footballers won the football title in 1915-16-17-18, but lost the 1919 Leinster semi-final to Dublin. Cork hurlers were seeking a fifth successive title in 1945 but were beaten by Tipperary in the Munster semi-final.

The Kerry footballers have twice tried to win the five-in-a-row. In 1933, they won the Munster title but lost the All-Ireland semi-final to Cavan.

In 1982, they were again famously on the five-in-a-row trail but lost the All-Ireland final to Offaly for whom Séamus Darby scored a late match-winning goal.

Kilkenny, however, appear to have significant momentum behind them. They are bidding for their 22nd successive championship win and haven’t lost a game since going down to Galway in the 2005 All-Ireland semi-final. Since then they have beaten the following: Wexford (4); Galway (4); Cork (3); Dublin (2); Offaly (2); Waterford (2); Tipperary (1), Westmeath (1); Limerick (1), Clare (1).

Last year, they became the first county since Cork in 1941-42-43-44 to win the four-in-a-row and are now bidding for their 33rd title. Tipperary, who lost to Kilkenny by five points last year, are seeking their first All-Ireland title since 2001 and their 26th in all.

First back-to-back since ’89 for Tipp

THE last time Tipperary appeared in an All-Ireland final for the second year in succession was in 1989 when they defeated Antrim to win their 23rd title and their first in 18 years. Tipperary’s winning margin against Antrim was 18 points and Nicky English’s scoring contribution was also 18 points (2-12). Incidentally they were also in the under-21 final that year.

It is unusual for an All-Ireland hurling final pairing to be repeated the following year and the 2010 final will be the first time it happened since Kilkenny and Cork came face to face in 2003 and 2004.

Prior to that it happened in 1982/83 Kilkenny v Cork, 1976/77 Cork v Wexford, 1973/74 Kilkenny v Limerick, 1946/47 Cork v Kilkenny, 1941/42 Cork v Dublin, 1935/36 Kilkenny v Limerick, 1928/29 Cork v Galway, 1919/20 Cork v Dublin, 1904/05 Kilkenny v Cork and 1901/02/03 Cork v London.

Fixtures

SATURDAY

ESB All-Ireland MHC B final: Kildare v Westmeath, Páirc Tailteann, 2pm, S Whelan (Wexford).

SUNDAY

All-Ireland SHC final: Kilkenny v Tipperary, Croke Park, 3.30, M Wadding (Waterford).

All-Ireland MHC final: Kilkenny v Clare, Croke Park, 1.15, A Stapleton (Laois).