Kilkenny v Galway Prediction, Preview & Odds – Leinster Hurling Final

We have a Kilkenny v Galway prediction along with the betting odds for you ahead of Sunday evening’s Leinster Hurling Championship Final.

Kilkenny v Galway Match Info

When? 4.00 pm, Sunday, June 11^th

Where?  Croke Park, Dublin

TV Channel? RTÉ 2

Kilkenny v Galway Preview

Kilkenny’s Form

Kilkenny came second in Division 1 Group B behind Tipperary in first place. During the league campaign The Cats won four matches with their only other match being a defeat in Round 2 by Tipperary 1-21 to 2-24.

In the regular league phase, their 128 points scored which is an average of  25.6 points per match, was the third-lowest total in their group. However, defensively they were very solid at the back with the best defence in their group, conceding 102 points for an average of 20.4 points per match.

Kilkenny then played Cork in the Division 1 Semi-Final beating them on a scoreline of 0-22 to 2-22 score to qualify for the league final v Limerick where they were out-classed in a 2-20 to 0-15 points defeat.

Kilkenny commenced their Leinster Championship campaign by beating Westmeath 0-29 to 0-7. Their second game of the competition came against their Leinster Final opponents Galway where they played out an entertaining 0-28 to 1-25 draw in Nowlan Park after a late equalising point from Galway.

In Round 3 they recorded a facile victory over Antrim in a 3-20 to 5-31 scoreline and in Round 4 they beat Dublin rather comfortably 0-27 to 0-21. However, they come into this fixture following a surprise defeat against Wexford 4-23 to 5-18 where there was a gluttony of goals.

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Galway’s Form

Galway came third in Division 1 Group A behind Cork who surprisingly won the group and Limerick who came second following Cork’s 0-23 to 0-22 victory in Round 1 over the reigning All-Ireland Champions.

Galway won three of their five matches losing the other two to Cork and Limerick. In the regular league phase, they had the second-best attack with 139 points in their group for an average of 27.8 points per match. On the defensive end they were decent with the third-best defence in their group conceding a total of 112 points, an average of 22.4 points per match.

Galway commenced their Leinster Championship against Wexford winning out comfortably 0-24 to 2-12. Their second game was against Kilkenny where a late point from McLoughlin earned them a 0-28 to 1-25 draw in Nowlan Park.

In Round 3 they outclassed Westmeath in what read like a cricket scoreline of 6-33 to 0-17 (34 points between the teams if you’re wondering).

In Round 4 they had another comprehensive victory this time against Antrim 5-29 to 1-22 before drawing their Round 5 game against Dublin in Croke Park 2-22 to 1-25 which was enough to confirm their spot atop the Leinster table.

Key Players To Watch

T.J Reid

T.J. Reid at 35 years of age is as important for Kilkenny as ever and he continues to break records on the field.

When he played Dublin in Round 4 not only did he become the oldest player to start a championship game for Kilkenny since Noel Skehan (39 years, 194 days) and Frank Cummins (36 years, 221 days) v Wexford in 1984. He also become hurling’s highest-ever scorer as he became the first player to reach the 600-point mark in championship hurling.

He has a total of 2-45 in this year’s Leinster Championship and will certainly be adding to that mammoth total again at the weekend

TJ Reid has reached the 600 point mark in championship hurling. 🎯🐐 pic.twitter.com/orZOCe3WCs

— OurGame.ie (@OurGameHQ) May 20, 2023

Daithi Burke

During their league campaign, the strength of the Galway team was in their defence with the third-best one in their group conceding a total of 112 points an average of 22.4 points per match. A large part of that would be because of Captain and rock-hard Galway Full-Back Daithi Burke!

Kilkenny will be gunning for goals again at the weekend with The Cats averaging 2 goals per game in the Championship albeit that was five against Antrim and another five against Wexford. Burke will be integral to Galway’s defensive set up and stopping Kilkenny from scoring some more on Sunday as he did against them successfully in Round 2.

What a shoulder from Daithi Burke!!! pic.twitter.com/ZP6emvrjz2

— Derek Breen (@dpbreen42) June 18, 2022

Kilkenny v Galway Head-to-Head Results

Kilkenny 0-28 Galway 1-25| 2023 Leinster Championship Round Robin

Galway 0-17 Kilkenny 0-22 | 2022 Leinster Championship Final

Galway 1-24 Kilkenny 3-17 | 2022 Leinster Championship Round Robin

Kilkenny 2-20 Galway 0-24| 2020 Leinster Championship Final

Kilkenny v Galway Betting Odds

The odds makers make Galway marginal favourites as we get closer to Sunday’s huge game! They can be currently gotten at 4/5.

Kilkenny can currently be backed at 6/4 while the draw is priced up at 15/2.

The handicap for the game is Galway -2 at 11/10.

Kilkenny v Galway Prediction & Best Bet

Prediction: Kilkenny 2-20 Galway 1-22

The two best teams in Leinster by quite some distance and two deserving finalists. These are always tight clashes though as proven in their Round 2 meeting where it took a last-gasp McLoughlin point to earn Galway the draw.

Since then they were rampant in their next two games to secure their Leinster Final place before dropping off a little in Round 5.

The Cats are the team for the big occasion though and for that reason I think they will claim a narrow victory in this one.

Best Bet: Kilkenny Winning Margin 1-3 Points @ 4/1

Click Below For All Our Kilkenny v Galway Odds

*Prices subject to fluctuation

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