Liberty Insurance Senior All Ireland Semi-Final
Kilkenny vs Cork (Sunday)
Venue: Walsh Park (4pm) Referee: Ray Kelly
The senior Kilkenny team will be hoping to get to this years All Ireland Final when they travel to Waterford to take on Cork in the All Ireland Senior Semi-Final on Sunday. This is a replay of last seasons All Ireland final where Cork edged out Kilkenny in a cracker of a game. They have also played each other in the first round of the National League this year where the Rebeletts came out on top. The new management of Fintan Deegan will want to build on a very successful league where Kilkenny were beaten by a stronger Galway on the day but a huge turn in fortune has seen Kilkenny demolish all teams in their way since that game. They reclaimed the Senior Leinster Title after an impressive victory over Offaly in Nowlan Park. They then began their Championship campaign and literally steam rolled every team that they have played. They have beaten Dublin, Clare, Tipperary and Derry to reach this stage of the competition. Having scored an impressive 21 goals and 72 points in their four games proves that Kilkenny have a lethal forward line this year and are showing a ruthless streak that I guess you could say has been missing these past few years and just conceding 3 goals and thirty points shows that the defence has really tightened their belts and are not conceding sloppy goals. The only fear for Kilkenny is that they haven’t really been tested in the championship thus far and Cork will be no pushovers. Cork finished third in their group after a shock defeat to Wexford left them a tough Quarter Final with Tipperary who eventually finished runners up to Kilkenny in their group. Cork won that game by 13 points so they will be tough opponents as they showed in last years All Ireland Final when Kilkenny had the upper hand in the first half but let it slip away in the second. Kilkenny’s focus will be on Cork and a victory on Sunday will diminish memories of last Septembers defeat and will begin the quest for All Ireland glory.
By kristinagunn Tue 11th Aug
