The build-up to the All-Ireland final has already begun with it being confirmed at the weekend that Kilkenny will face Limerick in a repeat of last year’s decider.
Limerick are going in search of a fourth consecutive title and a fifth in six years, while Kilkenny, the most decorated county in the history of the sport, are hoping to claim the biggest prize of them all for the first time since 2015.
Speaking as part of KCLR’s analysis team after Kilkenny’s thrilling defeat of Clare in Sunday’s semi-final, eight-time All-Ireland winner Aidan Fogarty looked ahead to a mouth-watering final.
He began: “Obviously, Limerick will be favourites going into the final. They’ll be hot favourites.
“Having said that, Kilkenny are different in an All-Ireland final. After last year, I wouldn’t say there’s hatred, but there’s definitely a lot of drive to get over the line.”
The Emeralds clubman also drew parallels with a similar situation that his Kilkenny team found themselves in 17 years ago.
“As well as that, there’ll be a bit of drive to stop the four-in-a-row. It won’t be said in public, but it will definitely be there ahead of the game.
“Against Cork in my own time (in 2006), they were going for three-in-a-row. It wasn’t mentioned in the dressing room but I think every player deep down just wanted to win that All-Ireland and get over the line.”
Fogarty outlined how Kilkenny can get the better of their opponents on July 23rd.
“I think there’ll be a massive drive and a massive effort. It will have to take that and it will have to take more than what we seen against Clare.
“It’s a tough ask but anything can happen because the All-Ireland final is a different type of game It’ll take a bit of luck and Limerick to be off form.”
