Kilkenny are bidding for a third successive Leinster title while Galway last won in 2018.
Cats won three and lost two games in the ‘round robin’ while Galway won four and drew one of their five games.
STATS
Galway beat Kilkenny by a point in this year’s ‘round robin’ clash in Pearse Stadium.
This will be the 49th championship meeting between Galway and Kilkenny. The Cats lead 32-13 with three draws from the previous 48 clashes.
Henry Shefflin is the ninth Galway manager who has pitted his wits against Brian Cody in the championship. The others are Mattie Murphy, Noel Lane, Conor Hayes, Ger Loughnane, John McIntyre, Anthony Cunningham and Micheal Donoghue, Shane O’Neill.
Brian Cody has managed Kilkenny 22 times against Galway in the championship since taking over for the start of the 1999 season, winning twelve (2000-2004-2006-2007-2009-2010-2012-2014-2015 (twice)-2016-2020), drawing three (2012-2014-2018) and losing seven (2001-2005-2012-2018 (twice) 2019-2022.
Henry Shefflin played against Galway thirteen times in the championship (two as a sub in 2014). He was on the winning side eight times, lost three and drew two.
Leinster titles: Kilkenny 73 Galway 3
Galway have played in nine finals since joining the Leinster championship in 2009, winning three, drawing one and losing five. Their wins were against Kilkenny in 2012 and 2018 and Wexford 2017. The draw was in 2018 against Kilkenny who beat them in 2010- 15-16-20. Dublin beat them in the 2013 final.
HOW THEY REACHED THE FINAL – GALWAY
Galway 1-19 Wexford 1-19 Galway 3-36 Westmeath 1-17 Galway 1-24 Kilkenny 3-17 Galway 2-37 Laois 0-21 Galway 0-27 Dublin 0-21 Played 5, Won 4, Drew 1.
Top scorers – Galway
Conor Cooney………..1-41 (0-32 frees, 1-0 pen, 0-2 ‘65s’) Joseph Cooney………2-15
Cathal Mannion…….0-18
Tom Monaghan…….0-14
Conor Whelan……….1-10
HOW THEY REACHED THE FINAL – KILKENNY
Kilkenny 5-23 Westmeath 1-19 Kilkenny 2-34 Laois 1-14 Galway 1-24 Kilkenny 3-17 Kilkenny 3-25 Dublin 0-17 Wexford 1-22 Kilkenny 1-18 Played 5, Won 3, Lost 2
Top Scorers – Kilkenny
TJ Reid………………2-34 (0-24 frees, 0-2 ‘65s’) Eoin Cody…………..2-10
Adrian Mullen…….0-16
Austin Murphy……..0-15 (0-10 frees)
Walter Walsh……….1-10
LAST FIVE CHAMPIONSHIP MEETINGS
2022: Galway 1-24 Kilkenny 3-17 (Leinster round robin) 2020: Kilkenny 2-20 Galway 0-24 (Leinster final)
2019: Galway 3-20 Kilkenny 2-22 (Leinster round robin) 2018: Galway 1-28 Kilkenny 3-15 (Leinster final) Replay 2018: Galway 0-18 Kilkenny 0-18 (Leinster final) Draw
PREVIOUS LEINSTER FINAL MEETINGS
This will be the eighth Leinster final between the counties. It’s 4-2 to Kilkenny with one draw from the previous seven,
2020: Kilkenny 2-20 Galway 0-24
2018: Galway 1-28 Kilkenny 3-15 (Replay)
2018: Galway 0-18 Kilkenny 0-18 (Draw) 2016: Kilkenny 1-26 Galway 0-22
2015: Kilkenny 1-25 Galway 2-15
2012: Galway 2-21 Kilkenny 2-11
2010: Kilkenny 1-19 Galway 1-12
STARTING TEAMS
Kilkenny: Eoin Murphy; Mikey Butler, Huw Lawlor, Tommy Walsh; Michael Carey, Richie Reid, Paddy Deegan; Conor Fogarty, Adrian Mullen; Billy Ryan, TJ Reid, Richie Leahy; Cian Kenny, Martin Keoghan, Eoin Cody.
Subs: Darren Brennan, Conor Delaney, David Blanchfield, Conor Browne, Cillian Buckley, James Maher, Alan Murphy, Walter Walsh, Padraig Walsh, John Donnelly, Tom Phelan.
