Kilkenny

Manager: Brian Cody

Club: James Stephens

Selector: Ger Henderson

Club: The Fenians Johnstown

Selector: Johnny Walsh

Club: Shamrocks Ballyhale

Inside View:

Ger Henderson:

"Everything has been very satisfactory up to this stage. We're delighted to be in another final and of course we're just looking forward to it now. We can only compare this Offaly team to the one we met in the Leinster final, but of course we won't be underestimating them. That's probably part of the mistake that Cork made.

"To be honest though, we'd prefer if we didn't have to play them again. We have great respect for them and we have it all to prove again over the 70 minutes. Naturally enough, there is pressure on Offaly to deliver as well. So it's the same for both of us.

"We're probably more settled this year, and Brian Cody has been through it before. That all helps. All the hard work has been done and it's just a question of getting through the last few days without any injuries."

Overview: Eamonn Cregan

Irish Times analyst

"Brian Cody always presents himself in a soft-spoken and gracious way but behind it all there is an element of steel, and that is something he will instil into this team. Of course he doesn't want them to lose a third All-Ireland but I think he has done everything right this year.

"He is a former player of tremendous experience and knows exactly what is required to win the All-Ireland. He has two very knowledgable selectors with him and is shrewd enough to make the right decisions when it counts."

Opposition view:

Mattie Murphy

(Galway manager, after the semi-final loss):

"Well, it went wrong for us in a lot of areas. I was watching my men in the heat of battle but Eugene Cloonan got very little out there.

"But we didn't deserve anything. We had a few goal chances but it was hard luck for Eugene. He topped the ball when 99 times out of 100 he would have scored."