Kilkenny vs Dublin Preview
It’s another massive weekend for hurling fans. Dublin will face Kilkenny in the Leinster Senior Hurling Championship Final. The game will take place at Croke Park on Saturday, June 8th with throw-in at 6 pm. Kilkenny is chasing a record 76th title while the Dubs are looking for their 24th crown.
The Cats enter this game as firm favourites, but Dublin pushed them close in their last meeting. Could an upset be on the cards? The Dubs want to take revenge and will believe that they can win. This promises to be an exciting hurling game between two of the best teams in the country. The winner will believe they can go to the All-Ireland Final and win the Liam McCarthy Cup.
Kilkenny vs Dublin Key Stats and Head-to-Head
Everybody knows Kilkenny is Leinster’s most dominant hurling team. They’ve won the past four Leinster Senior Hurling Championship Finals. The Cats have also played in nine of the past 10 finals. Few teams have been as consistent over the past decade.
Most people associate Dublin with Gaelic Football. However, the Dubs are also historically the province’s second-most successful hurling team. They’ve been runners-up 36 times, more than any other county. Their last Leinster title was in 2013, so they’re desperate to break this duck.
It’s only been a few weeks since these teams last played each other. This was a very close game, but Kilkenny’s ruthlessness ultimately earned them a victory. The Cats won the game by two points after a late Eoin Cody goal. However, it was a cruel defeat for Dublin who only had themselves to blame. They missed too many chances.
Kilkenny surged into a lead at Parnell Park as they led by four points. But Dublin cut the deficit to a single point before half-time. Sean Brennan saved brilliantly from Martin Keoghan as he prevented a goal. Conor Burke scored for the Dubs to keep his team in contention. Donal Burke was outstanding for Dublin as he scored 14 points. The Na Fianna club man was arguably the game’s most impressive player but found himself on the losing side. Ronan Hayes had one of the worst misses of the season in the 44th minute. He shot wide with the goal at his mercy and Kilkenny made Dublin pay.
TJ Reid hit eight points for the Cats while John Donnelly scored seven. Kilkenny was more clinical on the day, but they gave Dublin too many opportunities. This is something that the Dubs can exploit in the Final.
Kilkenny defeated Wexford to earn their spot in the Final 1-24 to 2-20. This game saw another outstanding display by one of the best hurlers ever, TJ Reid. He hit 1-13 for the Cats with all his scores coming from placed balls. However, Wexford pushed Kilkenny hard and had opportunities to win this game.
The Model County knew a victory would see them usurp Kilkenny in the Leinster Final. Lee Chin hit seven points for Wexford and the Championship’s top scorer was dangerous throughout. Everything was going Wexford’s way until halftime. Kilkenny trailed by five points at one stage but narrowed the gap to two as they headed to the dressing room. Conor McDonald’s goal for Wexford separated the teams.
Momentum was on Kilkenny’s side after they scored the last three points of the half. They kept it going after halftime and took the lead through Paddy Deegan. The Cats led for the rest of the game, although Wexford continued to pressure them. It was a hard-fought victory, but Kilkenny was a worthy winner.
GOAL 🚨
Tj Reid scores Kilkenny's first goal today ‼️‼️#GAANOW @KilkennyCLG pic.twitter.com/7iCz0rzQMe
— The GAA (@officialgaa) May 26, 2024
Meanwhile, Dublin pulled off a win over Galway. They will play in the Leinster Final for the first time in three years. It was a fantastic victory for the Dubs in Salthill. The game finished 2-27 to 1-24 as Michael Donoghue guided Dublin to win over his old team.
David Burke’s red card in the 16th minute was the game’s most defining moment. Galway still fought valiantly and chased Dublin to the end. The Tribesmen even led at halftime as they benefited from the swirling winds. However, the game turned in Dublin’s favour in the second half. Galway’s 10 wides proved very costly. The Dubs pulled away with goals at the start and end of the half.
On paper, Kilkenny is the better team. They’ll believe Dublin was lucky to beat Galway and will point to that red card. But it’s worth noting the Dubs were without Cian O’Sullivan and can do better. They almost defeated the Cats in their last meeting. Can they do it in the Leinster Final?
Kilkenny vs Dublin Predictions
Predicted Score: Dublin 1-16 – Kilkenny 2-17
We predict Kilkenny will dominate this Leinster Final. They have come through some tough tests and are a stronger team than Dublin. Their victory over Wexford was a massive challenge and will inject them with confidence.
Dublin’s win over Galway was less impressive because they had a one-man advantage for most of the game. Galway held a lead until half-time and had opportunities to beat the Dubs. Kilkenny also defeated Dublin when they travelled to Parnell Park in the Leinster Championship, making our GAA prediction more straightforward.
Kilkenny has elite players, including TJ Reid. He is the latest talisman for the Cats after Henry Shefflin and DJ Carey. Even when he doesn’t play well, he still scores and is instrumental in their fortunes.
Dublin may benefit from John Donnelly’s absence on Saturday. Donnelly broke his thumb and will be unavailable for the Final. He will be a massive loss for Kilkenny because he had a brilliant campaign. His last match against the Dubs saw him score seven points. Kilkenny manager Derek Lyng will consider the best way to replace the dynamic forward.
This may pave the way back into the team for Adrian Mullen. The former All-Star recovered from injury and will hope to play a part in this showpiece fixture. It also shows the Cats’ unbelievable depth because they have many skilled players.
Kilkenny’s clinical scoring is their biggest advantage in this game. The likes of Wexford and Dublin had chances to beat them this season, but they couldn’t produce the same consistency as the Cats. This relentless style is one of the key reasons they should prove too much for Dublin on the expansive Croke Park field.
It’s not all about the attackers. Eoin Murphy is arguably the greatest hurling goalkeeper of his generation. The Glenmore club man was a 2023 All-Star and is on course for another selection. Dublin must be at their best if they want to get past him. However, it’s not all doom and gloom for the Dubs. They know that most people favour Kilkenny and will enter this Final with a chip on their shoulders. It’s their first final in three years, so they’re desperate to win.
Live betting is a great option for this match because Dublin is a live underdog. If they take an early lead, it may be worth betting on Kilkenny to win the second half. This will be a thrilling final between two excellent teams.
Kilkenny vs Dublin Betting Tips
Kilkenny enters this game as a big favourite on our sports betting platform. They’re available at 3/10, so it’s inadvisable to bet on them to win outright. A successful €10 bet would only see returns of €13.
Neutrals may find it tempting to bet on Dublin at 3/1. They’re underdogs for a reason, but it’s not beyond belief that they’ll win this game. Kilkenny is good, but this isn’t one of their all-time great rosters. A €10 punt on Dublin to win could make a €30 profit.
Betting on hurling is enjoyable because there are many markets. It’s also an incredibly high-scoring sport. Some punters may want to back one of Kilkenny’s electric forwards to score a goal. TJ Reid is in devastating form for the Cats this season and is always a great option.
Consider placing a stake on the winning margin. It’s 4/1 for Kilkenny to win by 1-3 points or by 4-6 points. The latter also correlates with our predicted score. Our betting site predicts Dublin’s most likely winning margin is 1-3 points at 6/1.
It’s not lucrative to bet on the Cats to win this game outright. That’s why it may be more advisable to select a double result. One example is for Kilkenny to win the first half and the entire game. The odds are 1/2 for this to happen with the potential for a €5 profit. Meanwhile, it’s 5/1 for Dublin to win the first half with Kilkenny winning the game outright. A €10 stake could make €50. The reverse bet has odds of 22/1 with potential returns of €230.
This could be an excellent opportunity to take advantage of our welcome bonus. New users can benefit from this after they register for the first time. Why not place a bet on the winner of the All-Ireland Hurling Championship?
