Kilkenny have what it takes to complete a three-in-a-row of All-Ireland hurling successes at Waterford's expense, according to the chairman of the Leinster Society of Chartered Accountants and Cats fan Julie Herlihy. Croke Park will be the place to be on Sunday, September 7 when south-east neighbours Kilkenny and Waterford meet in the All-Ireland hurling final for the first time since 1963. It has the makings of a cracking contest with Kilkenny going in search of their first three-in-a-row of All-Ireland titles in almost a century, and Waterford bidding to bridge a 49-year gap since their last Liam McCarthy Cup win. The final has captured the imagination of both sets of supporters, including the recently elected chairman of the Leinster Society of Chartered Accountants Julie Herlihy, who will be cheering on her native Kilkenny. "I'll be up for the Cats and I'm confident that they can do it," says Julie, who hails from just outside Kilkenny city, but is now living and working in Dublin where she is a tax practitioner with leading chartered accountants Barr Pomeroy. "They've been playing really well all year and are going into the final as favourites. But any complacency will be punished by a Waterford team which has finally made it this far after so many disappointments over the past decade. I was at the National League final last year when they beat Kilkenny, so that will give them a lot of confidence and encouragement. "No-one could begrudge Waterford if they win, especially not the likes of Ken McGrath and Tony Browne who have had to wait until now to play in an All-Ireland final." Julie, whose family has close ties with the James Stephens club, believes Waterford will be just as motivated as Kilkenny to win. "There is a lot at stake for both teams. Kilkenny will be highly motivated to achieve the three-in-a-row, while Waterford will be going all out to win after such a long wait. But overall, I expect Kilkenny to have the upper hand. They know what it takes to win an All-Ireland and Brian Cody has some fantastic players at his disposal. "You've got the marquee names like Shefflin, Fitzpatrick and Brennan, but you've also got players like Derek Lyng who don't always get the credit they deserve. Derek is one of the unsung heroes." The Kilkenny minors also have a date with destiny when they face Galway in the Croke Park under-card. The young Cats were hugely impressive in their All-Ireland semi-final victory over Tipperary, who were seeking their third All-Ireland on the trot, and, similar to the senior counterparts, will carry the mantle of favourites into the final. "It's great to see the young players coming through. The success of the minor team shows just how good the underage structure is in the county. For a county of its size and population, it's incredible how Kilkenny continues to churn out so many good hurlers." Julie grew up in the townland of Goslingtown, which is situated about two miles outside Kilkenny city and is part of James Stephens' catchment area. Her parents Jerry and Sheila are both members of the club, while her brother Diarmuid played with 'The Village' before he moved to Tullamore in Co. Offaly where he has continued his hurling career and is in the process of opening his own pharmacy. Jerry, who is a Cork native has remained an avid Cork supporter and, according to his daughter, won't be happy if Kilkenny move ahead of the Rebels on the All-Ireland roll of honour! The Cats will have one title more than Cork - 31 to 30 - if they beat Waterford. Julie says everyone in James Stephens is extremely proud of clubman Brian Cody and what he has achieved with this Kilkenny team, as well as players Jackie Tyrrell, Eoin Larkin and Donncha Cody, who is Brian's son. "Everyone in the club has huge respect for Brian and all he has achieved both as a player and manager. The club is also very proud to have Jackie, Eoin and Donncha involved with the Kilkenny team. James Stephens has supplied a lot of players to the Kilkenny team down the years and one of the club's finest achievements came three years ago when they were crowned All-Ireland club champions for the third time." A qualified chartered accountant and tax consultant, Julie is a graduate of Dublin City University with a BA (Hons) in Accounting and Finance. Having worked in the tax departments of Andersen and KPMG, she joined Barr Pomeroy as tax partner in September 2006. She is also a member of the CCAB-I taxation body and lectures for various professional bodies. She specialises in the provision of tax advice to Irish domestic groups, owner-managed companies and high-net-worth individuals. Established in 1989, Barr Pomeroy is a four-partner firm specialising in taxation, auditing, corporate restructuring and corporate finance services. The other partners in the firm are husband-and-wife Michael Pomeroy and Marie Barr, and Shaw McClung who is the latest addition to the team. The practice's offices are located at 21 Herbert Place, Dublin 2. Julie was elected chairman of the Leinster Society of Chartered Accountants for a one-year term at its AGM on June 6 last. Headquartered at Burlington Road, Dublin 4, the Leinster Society is the largest district society of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland, with over 8,400 members. The committee of the Leinster Society provides both educational and social services for its members, and carries out significant fundraising activities. Julie was a member of the Leinster Society committee for five years prior to her election as chairman and was responsible for a number of areas, including both the Published Accounts Awards and the Charity Ball. In her address to the Society's AGM, Julie highlighted an issue that seems to be troubling more and more chartered accountants both in practice and in industry. She said: "I'm referring to the frustration that some compliant taxpayers feel when they believe that they have a strong case and Revenue disagree. This frustration arises mostly on the conclusion of a revenue audit. "In some such cases, the taxpayers believe that the treatment of a transaction by Revenue is technically incorrect. In other cases, the penalties being applied appear to be disproportionately harsh. This is of particular concern where the taxpayers feel unable to go to appeal because of the high risks and lack of transparency without out appeals system." Needless to say, Julie is hoping her beloved Kilkenny won't experience the same level of frustration in their quest for three-in-a-row! Tweet

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