DERBY DAYS:It may come as a surprise to learn Dublin have more Leinster senior hurling titles than any other county, bar Kilkenny, writes DAMIAN CULLEN

Croke Park – Sunday, 4pm,

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Kilkenny

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Dublin

WITH CROATIA and the “Dream Team” – the USA basketball side that included such mega-stars as Larry Bird, Michael Jordan and “Magic” Johnson – warming up for the final basketball tie of the 1992 Olympic Games, the stadium announcer at the Pavelló Olímpic de Badalona began practising her post-match duties, loudly proclaiming to all in the Barcelona arena that the USA were the Olympic champions.

It was, of course, particularly insulting to the Croatian players, hardening their resolve before the game began. The USA duly claimed the gold medal and the girl with the microphone didn’t have to deviate from her prepared script.

Determination, on its own, doesn’t win big games. If it did, the Dublin hurlers would be given at least a fighting chance this weekend in the Leinster senior hurling final. Instead, bookmakers quote Kilkenny at between 1 to 50 and a generous 1 to 25 to claim the provincial crown.

However, it wasn’t always so apparently clear-cut and it may come as a surprise to learn Dublin have more Leinster senior hurling titles than any other county, bar Kilkenny.

With 23 titles, Dublin have three more than Wexford and 14 more than Offaly. But time can’t mask all. Offaly’s nine titles have all come since 1980. Dublin’s 23rd was secured back in 1961.

While Kilkenny hurling afficionados will arrive with no fear of the local side on Sunday (if they bother arriving at all) the two teams have a rich history of competitive, and often controversial, meetings in Leinster hurling deciders – ever since 1893, when Dublin didn’t turn up for the decider, with Kilkenny returning the favour the following season.

Kilkenny (with a Tommy Walsh in their side) beat Dublin by a goal in 1895, before surrendering their title in the following season’s decider. Unimpressed, Kilkenny lodged an objection to the result – which had finished 1-8 to six points in Dublin’s favour – and a replay was ordered. Suitably annoyed, Dublin hammered Kilkenny in the replay – winning 4-6 to no-score. Unusually, even for those times, the referees for both games were from Dublin.

Following several more battles in the province, Kilkenny met the reigning provincial champions in the 1903 decider, with both teams finishing with 1-5. Another objection was lodged, this time concerning Dublin’s goal, and Kilkenny were awarded the provincial crown without any need for a replay. It’s unlikely they will have to resort to anything similar after this weekend’s decider.

By the time the rivals met in the 1925 Leinster decider, Dublin and Kilkenny were established powerhouses of hurling, and committed rivals – between them claiming three of the previous five All-Ireland titles. Dublin were the reigning provincial and All-Ireland champions when Kilkenny arrived on June 21st, 1925.

The following day The Irish Times’ opening paragraph on the game read: “A scintillating game, changing rapidly in outlook, Kilkenny leading by 10 points to nil after 15 minutes; rapid goaling by Dublin almost balancing at the halfway; continued Dublin success for 20 minutes of the second half-hour; a great Kilkenny revival in the last exciting quarter when the issue was in serious question, and excitement intense. These were the features of yesterday’s game at Croke Park, when Dublin hurlers retained their provincial championship.”

Or so they thought.

Once again, Kilkenny officials were trigger happy, and an objection to the 6-4 to 4-7 scoreline resulted in Lory Meagher collecting his first Leinster winners’ medal.

When the two sides clashed again in the 1929 provincial decider, Dublin were looking for three-in-a-row in Leinster, as well as hoping to add to the All-Ireland crown they claimed in 1927.

Dublin were tipped to win, particularly after they mercilessly dispatching Laois, 8-10 to 1-2, in the semi-final in Tullamore. The finalists were scheduled to meet in New Ross on July 28th, 1929. Kilkenny were late arriving and Dublin played under protest, eventually losing 3-5 to 2-6. However, both teams were disqualified due to the late start.

Once again Dublin could feel a little unfortunate to be at the wrong end of a decision involving a Leinster final meeting with Kilkenny. However, since then, the titles have all been lost on the pitch – not in closed post-match meetings.

In the last 45 years Dublin have reached the provincial decider twice – running Offaly to five points in 1990 final, before returning the following season to take on Kilkenny. While Dublin were experiencing something of a revival two decades ago, Kilkenny were still expected to comfortably claim the 1991. In fact, in the run up to the game, the Kilkenny County Board seemed more concerned with the price of the tickets for the match – complaining that £8 for a Cusack Stand ticket and a tenner for the Hogan Stand was exorbitant.

More than 41,000 entered Croke Park on July 21st for the decider, but after almost 20 minutes of play there was only a single score – by Dublin’s MJ Ryan on the scoreboard. The final was full of passion and endeavour, but also jammed with mistakes – and Kilkenny eventually stumbled to another title, 1-13 to 1-11.

Dublin are not expected to be within two points of Kilkenny at 5.30pm this Sunday.

However, hard as it may be to believe considering their recent dominance, Kilkenny didn’t always have it their own way with Dublin. There was a time when Dublin hurlers walked on to the pitch for a Leinster senior hurling final expecting to win – and on 14 occasions Dublin finished a Leinster senior hurling final holding Kilkenny’s scalp.

What Dublin hurling fans wouldn’t give to revisit those glory days.