One of hurling's hardiest perennials comes to Croke Park again tomorrow. This year's Guinness Leinster hurling final between Offaly and Kilkenny is the eighth time the counties have met this decade. Seldom have the matches disappointed and never to the extent that last year's Leinster final did.
It became clear in the aftermath which saw Offaly manager Babs Keating resign after a public row with Johnny Pilkington why the midlanders had been a bit flat. You would have got a good price on the two Leinster counties still being around by All-Ireland time, but the whole affair marked the beginning rather than the end of Offaly's season.
Both counties went on to produce a more typical display that September with Offaly winning. In all recent meetings with the exception of last year's Leinster final, Offaly have had enough in hand to see off Kilkenny. This isn't altogether surprising as Offaly's team has hardly changed in the six years since Kilkenny last eliminated them from the championship.
The core of players who have been around for the best part of this decade are used to gaining the upper hand in these matches and because of this self-belief and cohesion as a team, Offaly must go into this final as favourites.
Both teams appear to have improved since last year. Co-incidentally, they arrive at this weekend's stage after huge semi-final wins whereas 12 months ago neither had impressed against the same opposition, Laois and Wexford, whom Kilkenny and Offaly respectively destroyed last month.
The problem for Kilkenny is that their improvement is lopsided and relates to the forwards where the bulk of John Power and Henry Shefflin combine to give far greater solidity to the attack and Shefflin's hurling ability doubles the threat he poses.
They will, however, have to make their way against Offaly's best unit. Hubert Rigney has had successful afternoons on Power in the past but Kevin Kinahan at full back hasn't come across quite the same combination of physique and skill which Shefflin brings to the party tomorrow.
Again we can expect some crossing of the paths between Brian Whelahan and DJ Carey, whose tilts with each other have been an enduring feature of the matches. In six Leinster championship matches against Offaly since making his debut, Carey has been frequently well marked by Whelahan but equally he has compiled an impressive total of 9-14.
Charlie Carter has been Kilkenny's most consistent forward in recent times and if he was curtailed in the All-Ireland final by which time Simon Whelahan had replaced his brother Barry, he was the dominant influence in last year's corresponding match with a total of 1-5 from play.
Further afield the picture isn't as encouraging for Kilkenny. Pat O'Neill's continuing problems in regaining match fitness and Liam Keoghan's retirement have seriously weakened their defence.
Canice Brennan is the main loser in this reshuffle, being moved from centre back, where he was a success, to full back, a position for which he has no great love.
Paddy Mullally's elevation is a bit of a surprise, though he is a good club hurler - as well as the county's football captain. Eamonn Kennedy at centre back was greatly bothered by Niall Rigney in the Laois match and will face a similarly robust challenge from John Ryan, although he lacks the finesse of the Portlaoise man.
In the absence of Philip Larkin, Kilkenny's midfield lacks balance. and won't as easily exploit any Offaly deficiencies in the area. In any event, last year proved how fluid Offaly are when it comes to making changes in all sectors and both Johnny Pilkington and Paudie Mulhare could end up in the forwards with, say, Michael Duignan and Johnny Dooley in the middle.
The decisive influence is likely to be Offaly's attack. The defeat of Wexford showed Offaly's forward at their penetrative and economical best.
They are currently moving really well, demonstrating how well they know each other's play.
Tomorrow they are playing against a slightly ramshackle Kilkenny defence and it's hard to see that advantage being negated anywhere else on the field.
