By Tomas Mulcahy It has been a very strange few months for hurling and with only one Sunday left of premier competition, it would be fair to say that we need a big one to get us over the winter months. We need a game that will show us that hurling is alive and well and even I will admit that we have been overshadowed by the quality of football this year. To look back over the last few finals there are not too many outstanding memories to be taken from those games unless you are a Kilkenny man of course. By far the best two teams in the country this year are in the final and that has not been the case all along. From their first meeting in the national league in Nowlan Park where the Cats gave the Tipperary boys a bit of a hiding to the league final in Thurles, something has been brewing between these great rivals. Let's hope for all our sakes that we get a game that is a repeat in quality and excitement of that national league decider, which kept us all on the edge of our seats. That game was the best game I have seen this year with goals galore and crunching tackles thrown into the bargain, with no love lost between both parties. It has the makings of a superb contest with Kilkenny doing their utmost to level Cork's achievement back in the 40's of four-in-a-row and the Premier County on the other hand trying to notch up another win for their supporters. Let's take a look at both sides and do a slightly different SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Organisation, Timebound) on them to try and let you know who has the upper hand. Tipperary Strengths They are never afraid of Kilkenny and have a good championship record against them. Have shown already in this year's league final that they are a match for them. They are young with tremendous pace, particularly in the forward line. Most importantly they can score goals. They have a huge hunger for success at the top level. Weaknesses They have a lack of experience on All-Ireland senior final day. The Tipperary full back line has been leaking goals. Bar in the Limerick game they have been showing an inability to kill of a game. The do not appear to have strong competition for places. There is a lack of physique in certain areas of the field. Organisation Very disciplined. Very high levels of fitness. Excellent at delivering on their game plan. Very intelligent use of possession in the forward line Timebound They are in a process of team building but now is the time to win. Will be around for a good years at the highest level. Next best team to take over from Kilkenny as the dominant side. Kilkenny Strengths They have done it all before, Croke Park is their home away from home. There is a huge incentive of four-in-a-row. A huge physical presence and teak tough mental capacity. Very effective forward line. An ability to get goals at crucial stages of a game. Weaknesses Small signs of a lack of discipline this year compared to previous seasons Injuries to a key man - Noel Hickey They have been pushed to the collar in a number of games in the lead up to this year's final. There is a loss of pace in key areas. They have relied on one player up front to pull them through in last game with Henry Shefflin putting on a one man show against Waterford Organisation Superb at keeping competition for places intense all year round Their tactical ability is fantastic, as they have no problem working a system which brings players behind the ball if needed Their training sessions are legendary, with a championship pace prevalent in training matches. As professional in their detail as any other team in the history of the GAA. Timebound There is a conveyor belt of talent coming through the ranks If they win this one then next year they will target a never before achieved five-in-a-row A few retirements will be expected if they lose, which will lead to a minor rebuilding process The unthinkable of Brian Cody stepping down as manager if their lose is a possibility. So there you have in a nut shell - will it make you any wiser, I hope so! I am still sticking to my guns from day one of the championship that the Cats will win the All-Ireland. However, as time goes by I look at the way Tipperary are performing and the confidence they will have gotten from the semi-final win over Limerick, the realisation hits home that they are serious contenders. I accused them of lacking the killer instinct earlier on in the season when they had teams by the throat but they certainly put that to bed with their semi-final performance against Limerick. Kilkenny on the other side have looked very good going forward and in every game you get a ten minute blitz from them when they put the game out of sight. This season they will not come into the final as fresh as ever and will thrive on the extra games they have played, but any team on the go as long as they have been is bound to feel the toll. Their saving grace could be the fact that competition for places within their squad is so strong that any sign of tiredness or lack of appetite in a player will see him quickly replaced. Where they have looked vulnerable this year is when an opposition forward line ran at their defence and this is just the style of game that Tipperary love to play. I am certain that will be the game plan for Liam Sheedy - keep it open, keep it wide, match them in the physical stakes and run at them like greyhounds out of the traps. Tweet

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