Senior hurlers ready for duel with champions

Thu, 9th June 2016

Kilkenny begin the defence of the GAA Hurling Leinster and All-Ireland titles when they take on Dublin in the provincial semi-final at O’Moore Park, Portlaoise next Saturday, 7.0.

It promises to be quite an occasion as Dublin attempt to repeat the success of 2013 when they beat Kilkenny in Portlaoise in a Leinster semi-final replay. Kilkenny avenged that defeat in 2014 – the sides didn’t meet in last year’s championship.

LAST FIVE CHAMPIONSHIP CLASHES

2014: Kilkenny 0-24 Dublin 1-9 (Leinster final)

2013: Dublin 1-16 Kilkenny 0-16 (Leinster semi-final replay)

2013: Kilkenny 1-14 Dublin 0-17 (Leinster semi-final)

2012: Kilkenny 2-21 Dublin 0-9 (Leinster semi-final)

2011: Kilkenny 4-17 Dublin 1-15 (Leinster final)

MOST RECENT CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

Kilkenny 0-24 Dublin 1-9 (2014 Leinster final)

Kilkenny led by 0-13 to 1-6 at half-time and won the second-half by 0-11 to 0-3. TJ Reid scored 0-10 for Kilkenny.

MOST RECENT CLASH

Kilkenny 0-23 Dublin 1-14 (Allianz HL, 20 March, 2016, Nowlan Park)

TJ Reid scored 0-11 for Kilkenny while David Treacy was Dublin’s top scorer on 0-5.

HOW THEY'VE FARED SO FAR IN 2016

Kilkenny topped the 1A table and beat Offaly in the quarter-final before losing to Clare in the semi-final, leaving them with five wins and two defeats from seven games.

Dublin finished third in 1B and lost the quarter-final to Limerick. Their record for the campaign was: Played 6, Won 3, Lost 3.

This will be Kilkenny’s first outing in the championship, whereas Dublin already have a win behind them, beating Wexford by 2-19 to 0-12 in the Leinster quarter-final.

MANAGEMENT

Brian Cody is in his 18th season with Kilkenny; Ger Cunningham is in his second year with Dublin.

DID YOU KNOW?

Dublin’s win in the 2013 Leinster semi-final replay was their first championship success over Kilkenny since 1942.

THE ROAD AHEAD

The winners play Galway or Offaly in the Leinster final on July 3; the losers enter the All-Ireland qualifiers on July 2.

BRIAN CODY v DUBLIN

Brian Cody is in his 18th season as Kilkenny manager. In that period, they have played Dublin ten times in the championship, winning eight, losing one and drawing one.

2000: Kilkenny 3-16 Dublin 0-10 (Leinster semi-final)

2003: Kilkenny 3-16 Dublin 0-10 (Leinster semi-final)

2004: Kilkenny 4-22 Dublin 0-8 (All-Ireland qualifier)

2009: Kilkenny 2-18 Dublin 0-18 (Leinster final)

2010: Kilkenny 4-19 Dublin 0-12 (Leinster semi-final)

2011: Kilkenny 4-17 Dublin 1-15 (Leinster final)

2012: Kilkenny 2-21 Dublin 0-9 (Leinster semi-final)

2013: Kilkenny 1-14 Dublin 0-17 (Leinster semi-final)

2013: Dublin 1-16 Kilkenny 0-16 (Leinster semi-final replay)

2014: Kilkenny 0-24 Dublin 1-9 (Leinster final)

WATERFORD BOOK PLACE IN MUNSTER FINAL

Waterford have booked a place in the Munster senior hurling final for a second successive year after beating Clare by 1-21 to 0-17 in the semi-final in Thurles.

Derek McGrath’s men will meet Tipperary or Limerick on July 10. A Waterford-Tipperary final would be a repeat of last year while Limerick and Waterford last met in the Munster final in 2007.

GALWAY AND OFFALY QUALIFY FOR LEINSTER SEMI-FINAL

Barring a draw, either Dublin or Kilkenny will qualify for the Leinster hurling final next Saturday and will be followed eight days later by Galway or Offaly, who qualified for the semi-final with wins over Westmeath and Laois respectively on Sunday.

Galway and Offaly last met in the Leinster championship in 2012 when Galway won a semi-final by 5-23 to 3-15.

2016 GAA HURLING ALL-IRELAND CHAMPIONSHIPS

LEINSTER

ROUND ROBIN

May 1: Round 1: Westmeath 2-22 Offaly 1-11, TEK, Cusack Park; Kerry 2-19 Carlow 0-17, Tralee.

May 7: Round 2: Westmeath 1-18 Kerry 1-13, Tralee; Offaly 1-17 Carlow 2-11, O’Connor Park.

May 15: Round 3: Westmeath 0-22 Carlow 2-15, Netwatch Cullen Park; Offaly 3-19 Kerry 0-20, O’Connor Park.

May 21: Quarter-final: Dublin 2-19 Wexford 0-12, Croke Park.

June 5: Quarter-final: Galway 3-27 Westmeath 0-19, TEG Cusack Park; Offaly 3-22 Laois 2-14, Tullamore.

June 11: Semi-final: Dublin v Kilkenny, Portlaoise.

June 19: Semi-final: Galway v Offaly.

July 2: Final, Croke Park.