This is an unusual championship for Kilkenny. They have lost the equivalent of a small country’s gold reserves in retiring All-Ireland medallists and didn’t reach the league final for the first time in five years.
That statistic may be important in the long term in that only two of Brian Cody’s 10 All-Irelands were won in seasons when the league final wasn’t contested by Kilkenny.
The subdued spring campaign was largely brought about by injury to some key players and Ballyhale’s club commitments, which also produced Joey Holden as the candidate to take over JJ Delaney’s number three jersey.
Wexford have had a pre-match controversy to divert attention this week with Jack Guiney suspended from the panel for disciplinary reasons.
Precise timing
It's eerily precise timing, as 20 years ago today manager Liam Dunne played for his club Oulart the week of a championship match with Offaly and lost the county captaincy as a result. Offaly beat them but a year later they were All-Ireland champions, but let's not run too far ahead of this weekend.
Wexford have been subdued this year after last season’s championship heroics but it’s likely that Dunne, much like Séamus Plunkett in Laois, has been tailoring everything for this weekend. Even assuming a big performance though, the odds are stacked against them. Kilkenny have had a lot of big matches at Nowlan Park in the past couple of years and they haven’t lost any, from league final to qualifiers to relegation play-off.
Luminous quality
The team will be re-integrated after Ballyhale’s All-Ireland exploits and with Richie Hogan and TJ Reid bearing the load in attack in the absence of Richie Power they have still have luminous quality.
In last year’s big matches Wexford for the most part combined youthful talent with irrepressible energy and work rate. They’ll need that just to be at the table tomorrow but the house always wins in Nowlan Park.
THE LOWDOWN
Last meeting: 2011 Leinster quarter-final, Wexford Park, Kilkenny 1-26, Wexford 1-15.
Odds: Kilkenny 2/9, Wexford 4/1 and 12/1 the draw.
Injuries: Richie Power misses out for Kilkenny with a knee injury.
Suspensions: None.
Just the ticket: Stands €25 and €5 (juveniles), terrace €15 and €3 (juveniles). Concessions for OAPs and students.
Verdict: Kilkenny to win.
KILKENNY: Eoin Murphy; Paul Murphy, Joey Holden (Capt), Jackie Tyrrell; Pádraig Walsh, Kieran Joyce, Cillian Buckley; Michael Fennelly, Conor Fogarty; Walter Walsh, Richie Hogan, TJ Reid; Ger Aylward, Colin Fennelly, Eoin Larkin.
WEXFORD:
Referee: Diarmuid Kirwan (Cork).
