GAELIC GAMES:THE RANGE of possibilities here are, at first glance, fairly limited. Kilkenny have shown better form this year – better than last year and better than Tipperary. On the face of it, they appear to have more depth, as much if not more hunger and have been apparently unaffected by the five-in-a-row pressure all year. If they can reproduce the form shown against Cork, they're virtually unbeatable.

Yet, Tipperary have a chance. Their performances have been steadily getting better and they still have plenty of room for improvement.

With an hour gone last year I’d genuinely have settled for a replay – not because I sensed Kilkenny’s comeback, but because I was so enthralled by the match I’d have loved to watch another 70 minutes – which is why I’m greatly looking forward to tomorrow.

Looking at the Kilkenny injuries you could almost believe that all of the pressure that comes with a potential fifth All-Ireland has suddenly hit the team just before the final whereas last year it looked as if the pressure caused by trying to emulate the four-in-a-row was spread throughout the season.

For Kilkenny, the build-up has been under way since around five o’clock on the afternoon of the semi-final when people walked out of Croke Park, saying: “That’s it, they’re the greatest team ever and they’ll win the five.”

Then you had the injury stories – Henry Shefflin, Tommy Walsh, John Tennyson and the focus on five began to sharpen. The following week you had a big crowd at training – they’ve had big crowds before, but nothing like this – and all the attention on ‘hitting’ and ‘intensity’.

Only those who are there every week can really know how intense it was and probably only Brian Cody can know how the build-up compares to other years. Training sessions are training sessions, regardless of how terrifying they look. It’s a protected environment no matter how rarely the whistle gets blown.

The reaction from some of those present though has been as if they’d seen moving statues. It’s unlikely Tipperary are training without intensity, but, then again, no one’s travelling to Thurles to take notes. I don’t believe this is what Kilkenny would consider an ideal environment for preparation.

But they’ve been playing really well in this championship. You might question Dublin, given their defeat by Antrim, but Galway are a good yardstick and Kilkenny dismissed them in the Leinster final.

Noel Hickey and Jackie Tyrrell have been outstanding in the full-back line. Hickey’s had a full year of training and his return has released JJ Delaney to the wing with the whole defence benefiting.

Either of their midfielders could win All Stars, as could Tipp’s pair, which makes that battle worth seeing on its own. In fact Kilkenny could have had three candidates in the position and I’m very surprised that Michael Rice has been left out given his form before injury and last year when he was the best in the country. Like many I felt he’d be an addition to the half forwards.

Any fluctuation in form has come in the forwards with unusually high wides’ tallies in Leinster and an occasional sense of anxiety.

Even here, though, there have been improvements. Eoin Larkin’s form has come on a ton and the same is true of Aidan Fogarty. Richie Power was very good against Cork.

There are questions concerning the widely reported injuries. I believe that there have to be question marks over Tennyson or Shefflin and that must be factored into any consideration of the final. It also affects their reserve strength, which probably isn’t quite as formidable as last year.

A number of the promising players on the bench then have now made the team and the back-up is players who, even if they still have something to offer, would be on the team if they weren’t past their best.

On top of that, Brian Cody may have to replace Shefflin or Tennyson, which would put a strain on any panel.

Tipperary have recovered well from a horrible start back in May when they walked into an ambush in Cork. I believe the Galway quarter-final was a turning point, the first close match they’ve dug out and won in Croke Park, and that they kicked on against Waterford without Eoin Kelly being at his best.

Certainly by half-time in the semi-final Brian Cody, if given the choice between the teams, wouldn’t have been picking Tipp.

Improvement has come throughout the team. The puck-out strategy is more varied and they have had the confidence to develop that. The half-back line, which had been questioned on its distribution and form, was outstanding against Waterford, and showed real physical presence. Midfield has seen Shane McGrath back to his best and, in the forwards, Noel McGrath’s getting back to the sort of form he showed last year.

In the semi-final they showed know-how and for the first time this year a pattern of play. They have also been competitive with Kilkenny in the last few meetings.

If Tipp are to win I think it will be relatively simple – sometimes too much is made of game plans – and simply about whether they win more positions than Kilkenny, as they did last year before crucial errors undid them.

It will be about winning or breaking even in the half forwards and this time taking goal chances, such as Eoin Kelly and Séamus Callanan missed last year.

The half backs will also need to reproduce the form of last year when, until the arrival of Martin Comerford in the last 15 minutes, Kilkenny really struggled to win ball.

Eoin Kelly was immense last year, but comes into this final with back problems and that has to be factored in as well, as does the fact that Noel Hickey’s a better full back than JJ Delaney.

Kilkenny have never been without Shefflin when it’s important. He’s so influential on the pitch. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that he has suffered this same injury in the two years that Ballyhale have reached the club final because he has been an ever-present for over a decade and that long-term commitment takes its toll.

(I played in the 1991 final knowing that there was a certain pace that I couldn’t exceed, because of my hamstring. It’s hard enough to function properly at 80 or 90 per cent let alone 50 per cent. The ball will hop and you have to make it or break it. In the match I had to get there and I broke it. In training you can choose. Tipp just about got away with it – we were probably as hot favourites as Kilkenny are this weekend.)

Henry could well keep going and he’s worth it for his reliability on the frees. How many players could nail the one from 100 yards that he did in last year’s final when it was desperately needed?

Even with these problems any final reckoning has to have Kilkenny a little bit ahead. They have revived their fortunes this year, but the graphs of these two teams could soon be about to cross.

Unfortunately from a Tipperary perspective, just not yet.