Cork's Seán Óg Ó hAilpín has backed Brian Cody's Kilkenny side to achieve their three-in-a-row All-Ireland title bid against Waterford this Sunday at Croke Park. The All Star defender experienced first-hand what it is like to come up against this Cats side last month in the semi-finals, which saw the Rebels handed a nine-point defeat by the mighty champions, and thinks that despite the Deises impressive run to the decider this year Kilkenny still hold all the aces. "If Kilkenny do it next Sunday it will be a remarkable achievement and you have got to throw off your hats to them. "They are some outfit at the minute and even if some of their key players don't play up to scratch or whatever, which sometimes happens to teams on All-Ireland final day, they just have enough other players to do it. "I just feel, as great as Waterford's achievement this year to get to the final, I just feel if some of their key players don't perform they are going to be struggling." Ó hAilpín believes that a unique trait in this Kilkenny side is their ability to carry the favourites' tag into games so well, and admits that them doing anything else other than that this weekend would be a surprise to him. "They are going for three-in-a-row, they are after winning the last two so no matter which way you look at it Kilkenny are going to be favourites whether they like it or not. "But they are probably one if the few teams that can carry the title as favourites well going into games. "From a player's perspective that has played against them and played against Waterford, anything other than a winning Kilkenny result next Sunday would be a surprise," admitted the Rebels ace. Tweet

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