Formidable Ballyhale look up to the task

All-Ireland Club Hurling Championship Final: Maybe the easiest way to approach this is to look at how Ballyhale might lose the match. The drama of their semi-final win over Toomevara was largely created by goalkeeper James Connolly's nightmare opening but he and the rest of the team recovered so well that it all ended up as a feather in the Kilkenny club's hat rather than a straw in the wind.

But there is a vulnerability to the high ball in the square and before Toomevara, O'Loughlin Gaels exploited it in the Kilkenny final.

Loughrea have great spirit but they're up against a side that reeled in a 12-point deficit against the Munster champions so resilience is unlikely to be a determining factor.

The Galway champions also have a good defence, although the fact that Brian Mahony's fitness is compromised by a hamstring injury is a worry. In seven matches in Galway they didn't concede a single goal, including the county final against reigning All-Ireland champions Portumna.

Ballyhale don't rely on their galacticos to the extent that most clubs would if blessed to have Henry Shefflin and James Fitzpatrick on the one team. The Reid brothers have contributed big scores to the campaign to date, while Aidan Cummins has anchored the defence well.

Sound and all as Loughrea's defence has been they have yet to face an attack of Ballyhale's potential, let alone on a field the size of Croke Park.

Not having a serious provincial championship to sharpen up their challenge the Connacht representatives arguably needed a tougher semi-final to position themselves for the final.

In support of that contention is the fact that only three of the past 10 champions have emerged from semi-finals that involved Ulster teams.

There is also a nagging reservation about Loughrea's fire-power. Previous Galway champions have been able to boast in-form scoring machines, such as Joe Canning last year, Eugene Cloonan and Joe Cooney. Their successors have some good forwards but none in that category. Today on the biggest stage Loughrea face a side at least as formidable as Portumna were last year. They have it all to do.

Ballyhale v Loughrea Today, Croke Park Throw-in - 3.40pm On TV - TG4