Kilkenny v Tipperary: All-Ireland hurling final predictions, tips & TV details

TV: Sky Sports Arena, 3.30pm Sunday

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

The 2017 and 2018 All-Ireland hurling finals saw droughts end, ghosts banished and a feel-good factor that hurling was more competitive than ever.

Twelve months on, the old reliables Tipperary and Kilkenny have made their way back to the All-Ireland final and two of the game’s greatest managers will do battle once again. In 2010, Liam Sheedy famously ended the ‘Drive for Five’ but that’s a long time ago now and these sides, and their managers, have changed a lot.

Brian Cody is already the greatest manager in the history of the game but what he has done over the past couple of seasons is perhaps his greatest achievement.

Over the past two decades, Kilkenny have consistently produced some of the best hurlers to play the game and Cody led them where they were destined to go. In the past couple of years however, that talent pool has dried up somewhat and he’s been left to pull together a panel with players of lesser quality.

In 2019, few gave Kilkenny a chance of getting this far after a league campaign that left a lot to be desired. The return of their Ballyhale contingent made a difference but it’s only since the Leinster final that we’ve really seen their class.

The return of Richie Hogan and Walter Walsh to full fitness has been a huge boost and has taken the pressure of TJ Reid and Adrian Mullen who carried Kilkenny through the early rounds.

Mullen has been one of the stand-out players of the championship this year and looks a great bet to claim an All Star later this year. Their defence is now also much stronger with Cillian Buckley returning to the fold and the ferocity in which they attacked Limerick early-on in the semi-final resembled the great Kilkenny teams of old.

They hit Limerick like a train from the get-go and the All-Ireland champions were left to pick up the pieces and try to claw their way back into the game. Ultimately, Kilkenny just about prevailed and booked their players in another final and give Cody the chance of a 12^th Liam McCarthy.

In Cody’s way stands his old adversary Liam Sheedy, who has revitalized this Tipperary team when no one believed in them. A poor league campaign was followed by devastating victories in the Munster round-robin stages but their season looked derailed when falling to a 12-point hammering to Limerick in the Munster final.

They bounced back quickly however and when their season hung in the balance against Wexford with John McGrath sent to the line, they could have easily crumbled. They didn’t and we saw a proper edge to a Tipperary side who have come in for much criticism for a perceived lack of work-rate and heart. They showed they have that in spades that day and if they can bring that again, they are capable of overcoming this Kilkenny side.

Tipperary have the best 15 on the field and, while that won’t carry them over the line, if they can match Kilkenny physically they should oblige.

There have been three drawn finals in the last decade and excluding replays the average final winning margin is 3.4 points. Tipperary should win but if they do, it won’t be by much, so take a saver on another drawn final.

Recommendations
Tipperary draw no bet
3pts 8-11 bet365
Draw
1pt 9-1 Sky Bet
Adrian Mullen to win an All Star
5pts Evs Paddy Power

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