Galway expects Fahy to potentially feature, Richie Reid re-joins Kilkenny squad, O'Connor set to debut for Limerick, Cahalane replaces Cork for the match
Ready to dive into the upcoming Leinster Senior Hurling Championship Final between Kilkenny and Galway? Here's the lowdown on the teams, rolled-up in a no-nonsense package.
Kilkenny: Derek Lyng's squad is eager to take on Galway, with a sturdy lineup that has been slightly tweaked after the dead-rubber defeat to Wexford. Standouts Richie Reid and Shane Murphy are back in action, ready to kick some butt. And while Jordan Molloy and Stephen Donnelly are holding out, the rest of the team, who clinched last year's provincial final victory over Dublin, are itching to repeat the triumph. Marty Murphy gets a spot on the bench after scoring 1-02 in Kilkenny's Under-20 hurling final loss to Tipperary.
Now, let's talk about Galway. Michael Donoghue's team has a surprising twist, with Darach Fahy named in goal despite county rumors suggesting Eanna Murphy would get the start. Fahy's spot on the squad is a bit gray, as he was suspended for one match following a strike on Dublin's Andrew Jamieson-Murphy. There's word that Galway might be appealing the decision, so keep an eye on that. The only other change from the team that beat the Dubs is Kevin Cooney replacing Anthony Burns.
It's not just about these clashes, folks. Limerick and Cork are also gearing up for a Munster SHC final showdown. Limerick's Aidan O'Connor will make his first championship start in Saturday's match, taking over for Shane O'Neill. The seven-in-a-row chasers from Limerick make eight changes from the game against Clare in the final group stages, but O'Connor for O'Brien is the only change from the 16-point trouncing of the Rebels that secured qualification.
Finally, Kildare and Laois are locked in a battle for the Joe McDonagh Cup. Kildare's Brian Dowling has kept faith with the same starting XV that beat Down by 12 points in the county's first Joe McDonagh Cup final. On the other hand, Laois have made three changes to the team that pipped Carlow with a last-minute goal for their place in the decider. Cody Comerford replaces Donnacha Hartnett at corner-back, Fiachra C Fennell is in for John Lennon at midfield, and Mark Dowling takes Charles Dwyer's place at corner-forward.
Tune in to catch all the action on RTE 2 and RTE Player, follow live blogs on the RTE website, and catch commentary on RTE Radio 1's Saturday and Sunday Sport. Don't miss out on the highlights of all the weekend's football and hurling championship action on The Sunday Game, 9.30pm RTE 2 and RTE Player.
[1] Kilkenny senior hurling team for Leinster final named[2] Galway senior hurling team to face Kilkenny in Leinster final named[3] Galway GAA website: https://www.galwaygaa.ie/news/galway-team-kilkenny-leinster-final/
[1] The Kilkenny senior hurling team for the Leinster final, led by Derek Lyng, includes standouts like Richie Reid and Shane Murphy, with a slightly modified lineup after their defeat to Wexford.
[2] In the upcoming Leinster final, Galway's senior hurling team, managed by Michael Donoghue, features Darach Fahy in goal and three changes from the team that beat Dublin, with Kevin Cooney replacing Anthony Burns.
