Preview: Christy Ring Cup Final

Saturday, June 6

Christy Ring Cup Final

Derry v Kerry, Croke Park, 5.30pm (Live on TG4 and GAAGO)

Last on Saturday's schedule at Croke Park is the Christy Ring Cup Final between Kerry and Derry.

It's the third year in a row that Kerry have qualified for the final and although they lost as favourites against Down (2013) and Kildare (2014), they are even more hotly tipped this time.

The 2011 winners are at this stage for the fifth time in six years and are on course to complete an excellent campaign. Wins over Down and Meath saw Kerry through to the semi-finals, where they comprehensively crushed Kildare to avenge last year's defeat, moving them within touching distance of a Liam MacCarthy Cup place in 2016, when they will also play in Division IB of the Allianz Hurling League, following their successful spring, which concluded with a play-off win over Antrim.

Kerry, who are managed by Tipperary native Éamonn Kelly, will be determined to call a halt to their Croke Park woes of recent years.

An opening-round league draw with Derry was one of just two games to date Kerry have failed to win this year, however, and the Oak Leaf County, who finished fourth in Division IIA, have also taken the direct route to this stage with hard-earned victories over Mayo, London and Down.

Derry, whose last hurling outing at GAA Headquarters was a record Nicky Rackard Cup Final win over Donegal in 2006, are in their first Christy Ring decider, making them the third Ulster county to get this far since the competition began in 2005. Kerry have hit 9-67 in their three wins, giving them a huge average of 31.33 points, much higher than Derry's 1-48 (0-17 per game).

Derry have conceded two points less per game; 4-31 to Kerry's 4-37. Tom McClean will hope that Derry can keep it tight, restrict Kerry's scoring power and rely on the character and hunger that has taken his team through in a few close finishes to date.

Kerry have lost Darragh O'Connell, who made his SHC debut for Dublin last Sunday, but they still have an array of scoring forwards in Shane Nolan, Pádraig and Mikey Boyle, Colm Harty and Michael O'Leary. Daniel Collins, Darren Dineen and John Egan are other important players for the favourites, who have had 16 scorers in just three games.

Ruairí Convery and Paddy Henry have been leading the attack for Derry, with Alan Grant and Paul Cleary also capable of chipping in. That quartet accounted for 21 of Derry's 23 points in their semi-final win, while Kevin Hinphey, Anton Rafferty and Breandán Quigley key men further back.

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Derry Christy Ring Cup scorers 2015: Ruairí Convery 0-16 (12f); Paddy Henry 1-12 (0-9f, 0-1 '65); Paul Cleary 0-7; Alan Grant 0-5; Jonathan O'Dwyer 0-3; Paddy McCloskey 0-2; Niall Ferris, Anton Rafferty, Declan Foley 0-1 each.

Kerry Christy Ring Cup scorers 2015: Shane Nolan 1-27 (0-21f, 0-3 '65s); Mikey Boyle 4-2; Pádraig Boyle 1-9; Colm Harty 3-1; John Egan, Michael O'Leary 0-5 each; Patrick Kelly 0-4; John O'Neill 0-3; John Griffin, David Butler, Daniel Collins 0-2 each; Darren Dineen, Seán Weir, Rory Horgan, Keith Carmody, Brendan O'Leary 0-1 each.

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Christy Ring Cup top scorers 2015:

Jack Regan (Meath) 2-29Mark Delaney (Kildare) 0-34Shane Nolan (Kerry) 1-27Gareth Johnson (Down) 2-20Gerry Keegan (Kildare) 3-15

Meath sharp-shooter Jack Regan leads the Christy Ring Cup scoring charts going into Saturday's final after he hit a very impressive 2-29 in just three games, giving him an average of almost 12 points per game. Mark Delaney, who played five times with Kildare, finished with 0-34, while Kerry's main marksman Shane Nolan is within touching distance of both of the top two and a continuation of his 10-point average would shoot him to first place. Down full-forward Gareth Johnson and another Kildare man, Gerry Keegan, complete the top five.

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Preview: Colm Shalvey