by Tomas Mulcahy

More of the same again please! That has to be the order of the day - if we get anywhere near as good a final as we had last year, then all hurling neutrals throughout the country will be entirely happy with the climax to the season.

Obviously Kilkenny supporters are hoping that they have one more good day in the sun and that they achieve the amazing feat of five-in- a-row.

I have not admitted yet that they are the greatest team ever but at 5.15pm on All-Ireland final day, if it is a black and amber jersey trotting up the Hogan Stand steps to receive the Liam MacCarthy trophy, then I will rightly bow my ahead and acknowledge that achievement.

Some bookies and pundits have this game done and dusted in the Cats favour before a ball is pucked and cannot see anything other than a Kilkenny triumph.

Up to All-Ireland semi-final stage against Cork, I would have agreed whole heartedly with them but I now have the opinion that this will be every bit as close as last year and that a surprise could yet be on the cards.

The reason for my change in opinion is quite simple, if Henry Shefflin does not line out for the Cats or cannot play a full 70-minutes, then that is a serious blow to the team. This guy is irreplaceable and on All-Ireland final day when the need has been the greatest, he has produced the goods, either from placed balls at crucial periods of the game, from open play to score the most important of goals or having a hand in setting up scores for other team mates.

He has been on fire this year when most needed. He changed the game in the Cats favour when moved to no 11 in the Leinster final against Galway. He demolished Cork while he was on the field of play setting up the all important goal for Eddie Brennan and spraying balls in every direction with his fellow forwards.

Can he be replaced? - not in my books. Will Eddie Brennan be the same player without him on the field? Will Richie Power take up the free taking duties and point from 65 metres when the game is in the melting pot?

This is where I think Shefflin will be missed; he has the big match temperament and reacts best when under pressure - but most importantly what will be missed is his leadership and workmanship around the field.

No doubts the above mentioned players will be playing for Henry and are well capable of taking on the responsibility and if they do, Kilkenny will win the match. No one man can win a match on his own but it will still be nearly impossible to replace Henry Shefflin.

Are Kilkenny a better team than last year? In my eyes yes - they seem to be fitter, more physical and hungrier than ever - but most crucially they have given new blood the opportunity to shine and in Michael Rice and Michael Fennelly they have a formidable midfield. That pairing has a spring in their step with great pace and their hurling ability is a joy to watch. Additionally they have scoring power which allows them to chip in with their two or three points per game.

Competition for places has always been the key in Kilkenny and this year is no different with Michael Kavanagh, Derek Lyng and Cha Fitzpatrick all struggling for starting places. There is no doubt they have put huge pressure on the guys who took their places to perform.

Brian Cody does not do sentiment and this was evident in their last two matches when he took off Eddie Brennan. As a team manager, you could not have it any better.

So what about Tipperary - are they better than last year? Early season would suggest no and they struggled in the early stages of the backdoor.

In their last two performances, against Galway and Waterford, they have produced displays of incredible team spirit which many thought they didn't have in them this season.

That public doubt can bond a team and that hurt seems to have driven them on over the past month.

Tipperary's key strength has always been their skilful forwards and the brand of hurling they play, particularly the link play between McGrath, Kelly and Corbett. The latter reminds me of Shefflin a bit in that he is the main focus of the attack and will be moved to every position to maximise his effect. He certainly has not let them down so far this year and the Cats will be fully aware of his potential.

So is the attack the only way they will beat Kilkenny? No - it is in defence where their need will be the greatest and this has been the best part of the team this season. They have delivered some truly top class performances when needed most. Cork did pick holes and make them look very vulnerable but that was back in May and look at how the two teams fortunes have changed since then.

From goalkeeper right out to midfield, they now have become a very solid unit and in Paul Curran, Conor O'Mahony, Paddy Stapleton and Paraic Maher, they have players who have cut out the silly mistakes and added a lot more steel to their play. They now attack every ball as if their lives depended on it.

They also have gained in confidence after early jitters and conceding bad goals by their standards. They will have to be at their very best to curb the Cats' attack, even without Shefflin and this to me is where the game will be won and lost.

Midfield will also be crucial and in Shane McGrath they have one of the most athletic individuals in the game. They will need him at his best to match the legs of Rice or Fennelly in the middle.

So as you can see, there are a number of areas where the game can be won and lost.
I have said all year that it is Kilkenny's to lose and I am not going to change now but the bookies have got it all wrong with their prices.

As a Corkman, I am hoping for a great game and like many Cork supporters, will be supporting ... - I'll leave that up to your imagination but we do not want our record surpassed!

Best of luck to both teams, hopefully they will give us a day to remember and something to talk about through the winter months.

And finally to the minor teams - best of luck to Clare and Kilkenny. The Banner play a nice brand of hurling due to their size and stature. They have some excellent hurlers which is great for the game but the most complete performance of any team this year has been the Cats semi-final display against Galway and on that basis, they will be very hard to beat. Tweet

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