Where the All-Ireland hurling final will be won

A most intriguing All-Ireland hurling final between Galway and Limerick is just days away.

Will Galway continue their ascent by claiming a first title since 2017, or will it be Limerick who complete a hat-trick of trophies for 2026, having already secured Munster and league honours?

There is so much to ponder as the champions of Leinster and Munster get ready for battle at Croke Park.

Former Antrim hurler Neil McManus will be part of Sunday's punditry team on BBC Sport NI and the Cushendall man takes a look at four key match-ups that could decide the destination of decide of the Liam MacCarthy Cup and gives his big match prediction.

Trayers has been one of Galway manager Micheal Donoghue's most important young guns this year, even if Darragh Neary, Aaron Niland and Jason Rabbitte have grabbed the headlines.

He was switched onto Cork's Brian Hayes at half-time in the semi-final and effectively shut down the Cork forward, who had been the dominant figure in the first half before finding himself crowded out and bottled up by Trayers and Galway's defiant defence after the break. That kind of adaptability will be tested to the limit against Gillane, who remains Limerick's most potent scoring threat.

He's already shown his instinct for a goal against Galway this season, whipping home a rebound off the post during the league meeting in March.

If Trayers can repeat his Cork form on Gillane, it removes a huge chunk of Limerick's cutting edge.

This is really a contest for the game's supply lines.

Mannion has been pulling double duty for Galway all summer, dropping deep to break up opposition attacks before launching Galway's own, acting as a defensive linesman and playmaker in one.

In the semi-final, he was among the group who floated over points during Galway's blistering nine-in-a-row scoring spell against Cork.

The question is whether English will track Mannion in an effort to limit the Galway man's impact or play his own game and let the cards fall where they may?

William O'Donoghue likes to protect his full-back line, so the notion that he will follow Cathal Mannion away out the field doesn't seem likely.

The number of possessions that Mannion and English can collect could well tell the story at the finishing post.

Rabbitte has emerged as Galway's most dangerous inside forward this year, establishing himself as their 'go-to' man at only 19 years of age.

He lined out at full-forward in the semi-final and chipped in scores throughout, and back in March's league clash he led Galway's fightback, scoring three second-half points and setting up several more.

Casey had a huge impact off the bench in the semi-final victory over Clare when he shackled Peter Duggan in the closing stages, who had caused problems for the Limerick defence all day and gets the nod for Sunday's final.

I think we will see Casey detailing Rabbitte from the off, but the winning of this battle may come down to how much of the space that Galway like to leave in front of Rabbitte can be filled by a deep-lying Limerick half-back line.

Glennon has quietly been one of Galway's most important players this campaign.

Colossal in the semi-final, he scored three monstrous points from range while never neglecting his defensive duties, consistently winning battles with Darragh Fitzgibbon to close down one of Cork's main men.

He also chipped in during the earlier league defeat to Limerick with a point from play.

The challenge now is containing Hegarty, who remains one of Limerick's most explosive attacking threats when he gets on the ball and drives at defenders, almost singlehandedly dragging Limerick back into the semi-final against Clare.

Glennon's willingness to break forward means this battle could swing both ways: if he wins primary possession and drives at Limerick, Galway can use him as an attacking weapon, but if Hegarty gets loose in the same zone, it opens a route straight through Galway's half-back line.

I'm expecting sparks to fly from this two.

Limerick have won 11 of the previous 16 championship meetings, with the last Galway championship win coming back in 2005, but I don't think Galway's young talents will care about the stats.

They've expressed themselves on every stage this year, but Limerick's record in finals is awesome.

I think this one will go down to the wire with Galway edging a thriller.