All-Ireland Hurling Championship final predictions and Limerick v Kilkenny betting tips: Kilkenny underestimated in their bid for first title since 2015

Where to watch the All-Ireland Hurling Championship final

Limerick v Kilkenny
RTE Two, BBC Two Northern Ireland & BBC iPlayer, 3.30pm Sunday

Best bets

Kilkenny +4
3pts 10-11 Paddy Power

Kilkenny to lead at half-time
2pts 9-5 Paddy Power

Kilkenny-draw double result
0.5pt 25-1 BoyleSports 

Under 53.5 points
4pts Evs BoyleSports

All-Ireland Hurling Championship final predictions

After another exhilarating Hurling Championship, we are as we were 12 months ago with Limerick and Kilkenny contesting the All-Ireland final on Sunday.

Limerick will aim to cement their position as one of the greatest teams in the sport’s history by securing their fourth title in a row, while Kilkenny are seeking their first title since 2015.

Like all good champions, Limerick have coped with adversity in commendable fashion this term.Sean Finn sustained a cruciate ligament injury in their loss to Clare earlier in the year, robbing the champions of one of the country’s top defenders, while they also had to get through their semi-final without the services of their hugely influential captain Declan Hannon.

The nine-point victory over Galway was emphatic and once they got into top gear in the second half, it was merely a question of their margin of victory over the Tribesmen. But it’s easy to forget that Limerick didn’t look their usual imperious selves earlier in the campaign. They scraped through the Munster Championship courtesy of marginal triumphs over Waterford and Cork, a draw with Tipperary and a defeat to Clare before avenging that loss against Brian Lohan’s men in the Munster final, where Clare were incredibly wasteful in front of the posts.

Excluding that second-half mauling of Galway, Limerick have looked beatable this season, particularly when teams opt to go short with their puckouts and avoid their towering half-back line.

Kilkenny are a team who never panic and should they hit the front on Sunday, you can almost be guaranteed they won’t wilt. Once Clare appeared to be getting on top in the semi-final, Derek Lyng’s men did exceptionally well to take the sting out of their challenge by going short and retaining possession. They also look to be finishing their games with a flourish, which is best illustrated by the way they orchestrated a late goal in the Leinster final to pip Galway, and by some crucial late scores in their semi-final.

Limerick haven’t been ahead at half-time in their last four championship games, but John Kiely’s men tend to inevitably wear down their opponents in the second period. However, Kilkenny could possess the tools required to resist such an onslaught.

Their mental fortitude in clutch situations coupled with their hunger for work gives hope that they can absorb the impact when Limerick stretch out in their top gear and this is quite a different Limerick team from the one that defeated Kilkenny in the final by just two points last season.

As well as Limerick having to line up without Finn and Hannon, the repositioning of Kyle Hayes and the form of Gearoid Hegarty will encourage Kilkenny supporters. Hayes and Hegarty both caused havoc for Kilkenny’s half-back line last year, with Hegarty winning man of the match after scoring 1-5, assisting seven points and winning ten puckouts.

That was undoubtedly where the game was won, but Hegarty hasn’t hit the same heights this year as he did 12 months ago while Hayes has relocated back to the half-back line, although it should be pointed out that Kilkenny have Cian Lynch to contend with this year.

The handicap looks to underestimate Kilkenny’s chances and a draw looks a distinct possibility, especially considering that of Limerick’s seven games this season, the Galway match was the only contest which resulted in a winning margin of more than two points.Kilkenny also haven’t lost a 70-minute championship game by more than four points since the 2019 final.

All but one of Limerick’s six championship matches have yielded 53 points or fewer and this looks set to be a cagey contest at the outset, with both teams flooding the middle third and Kilkenny matching Limerick for physicality in the opening exchanges.

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