Afternoon all. This particular ditch-top hurler has an eye on events at O’Moore Park where Kilkenny and Dublin will clash away from the prying eyes of live television cameras.

Join us for every score and incident. We can’t promise a close game, but it’s sure to be good.

Everyone sitting comfortably? Is that tea hot enough for you? Good.

Here’s a quick recap on the team news.

KILKENNY: Eoin Murphy (Glenmore); Paul Murphy (Danesfort), JJ Delaney (Fenians), Conor Fogarty (Erins Own); Tommy Walsh (Tullaroan), Brian Hogan (O’Loughlin Gaels), Kieran Joyce (Rower-Inistioge); Lester Ryan (Clara), Michael Rice (Carrickshock), Cillian Buckley (Dicksboro),  Richie Power (Carrickshock), Eoin Larkin (James Stephens); Walter Walsh (Tullogher Rosbercon), Richie Hogan (Danesfort), Colin Fennelly (Ballyhale Shamrocks).

DUBLIN: Gary Maguire (Ballyboden/St Enda’s); Niall Corcoran (Kilmacud Crokes), Peter Kelly (Lucan Sarsfields), Paul Schutte (Cuala); Stephen Hiney (Ballyboden St Enda’s), Liam Rushe (St Patrick’s, Palmerstown), Michael Carton (O’Tooles); John McCaffrey (Lucan Sarsfields, captain), Joseph Boland (Na Fianna); Conal Keaney (Ballyboden St Enda’s), Ryan O’Dwyer (Kilmacud Crokes), Danny Sutcliffe (St Jude’s); Paul Ryan (Ballyboden St Enda’s), David Treacy (Cuala), Conor McCormack (Ballyboden St Enda’s).

Just over 10 minutes to go before throw-in. Lets have your predictions in the comment section, please.

Can Dublin cause an upset? Can Kilkenny stop the goals flying in?

Bit of a stir as some lad called Henry messes around with the ball pre-match.

Right, we’re almost ready to go here.

A strong wind blowing from the Town End and we’ll be under way after a minute’s silence for Pa Dillon (RIP: 1938-2013).

That wind I mentioned: Kilkenny won the toss and opted to give Dublin the advantage in the first half.

Just ten minutes to throw in, let’s hear your predictions for today’s game in the comments section.

THROW-IN: We’re under way in O’Moore Park and a long-range Kilkenny free drops short.

Cillian Buckley picks up possession but fires wide. At the other end Liam Rushe has a shot from range, and he too comes up short.

Paul Ryan is wayward with a free. That’s one wide apiece now. And Kilkenny are running the ball back at Dublin.

A good pace to the opening stages, but plenty of room for the physicality to be ramped up.

Kilkenny 0-02 Dublin 0-00

There’s the first white flag of the game as Eoin Larkin splits the post from a free. The breeze no bother for the James Stephens man.

And Walter Walsh follows up with a score from play to round off a fluid move.

Dublin in for a long day.

Kilkenny fortunate not to concede a goal from Paul Ryan, but as ever, they make the luck count as Richie Hogan extends the lead.

Kilkenny 0-03 Dublin 0-00

Conor McCormack racks up wide number five for Dublin. They look panicked in attack, but maybe Danny Sutcliffe’s intervention will help them settle.

Kilkenny 0-03 Dublin 0-01

13 minutes gone.

For all of that, Dublin are beginning to make possession count as Paul Ryan taps over a free.

Kilkenny 0-03 Dublin 0-02

65 to Dublin as Conor McCormack has a shot blocked. Conor Fogarty with a shaky moment in the black and amber defence.

The error is unpunished though as the wind carries the long-range effort the wrong side of the posts.

We’re all square (briefly) as Boland lands a great score in the 17th minute.

Eoin Larkin’s unerring accuracy from placed balls quickly put the Cats back on top.

18 mins: Kilkenny 0-04 Dublin 0-03

Dotsy Callaghan is on the field in place of Paul Ryan and his impact is instant as he wins a free converted by Boland.

Kilkenny 0-04 Dublin 0-04

Much improved application from the Dubs, but the wides keep coming. They’ll rue these seven wides this evening, but for now they lead thanks to another Boland free.

Kilkenny 0-04 Dublin 0-05

Kilkenny 0-05 Dublin 0-05

Walter Walsh looks as dangerous as ever in the full forward line. He notches his second score from play.

Kilkenny 0-07 Dublin 0-05

Larkin free puts Dublin behind again and he then has a hand in to help Richie Hogan extend the lead on 26 minutes.

Another terrific point from Walsh, spinning in behind defenders and opting to tap over a point rather than shooting for goal.

Dotsy O’Callaghan and Joey Boland respond at the other end. Dublin keeping up well, but you fear for them when the sides swap ends.

Kilkenny 0-08 Dublin 0-07

Kilkenny fullback Paul Murphy down injured after landing heavily. Stretcher called for. A nasty ankle injury by the looks of things.

Paddy Hogan comes in for Murphy as the ball is pucked out after a Sutcliffe wide.

Dublin win a free and Boland j.. ust sneaks it over the crossbar.

Kilkenny 0-08 Dublin 0-08

Coming into half-time Kilkenny come under pressure but Delaney emerges with a fine catch and Richie Hogan receives the ball upfield and wins a free.

Whoa! Larkin catches that one all wrong and Dublin will get a chance to lead at the break here.

HALF TIME: Kilkenny 0-08 Dublin 0-08

This from TheJournal.ie’s Gavan Reilly as he watches Dublin swipe at a 10th wide in 35 minutes.

Here comes the second half. Kilkenny have the wind at their backs. Let’s see how long Dublin can hang in there.

TJ Reid is sprung from the bench for Kilkenny, but they trail as the Dubs hit the ground running through Paul Schutte (replacing McCormack) opens the account  in the second half.

Kilkenny 0-08 Dublin 0-09

Kilkenny 0-08 Dublin 0-10

Well, well, well. Boland hits his fourth free (five points in total) to give Dublin a two-point lead.

At the other end, Kilkenny’s sixth wide of the day is a long-range shot from Tommy Walsh under pressure.

GOAL! Walter Walsh.

Kilkenny lead.

How often do we see that from Kilkenny. Just when the tide threatens to turn, they viciously respond. Terrific first-time turn and finish from Walsh.

Dublin are taking confidence from their start to the second half, however, and they level the game up again through John McCaffrey.

Kilkenny 1-08 Dublin 0-11

Dublin make a change when they’re on top: Shane Durkin in for Danny Sutcliffe.

44 minutes played and Larkin gets his range back with a free to put the Cats in the lead again, but Durkin’s first act is to square it up again.

Kilkenny 1-09 Dublin 0-12

52 minutes gone and Larkin puts Kilkenny back in the lead. All to play for here as Dublin grit their teeth playing into the wind.

Kilkenny 1-10 Dublin 0-12

Wow. Tit for tat. Boland adds to his tally with a second score from play, this one off the left.

We’re level again. Something has to give… soon.

Kilkenny 1-10 Dublin 0-13

Needless foul from Treacy allows another opening for Larkin, and he’s deadly from placed balls at the minute.

Dublin go up the other end and fire wide, so Walter Walsh punishes them with another superbly taken point. Minimum fuss, maximum efficiency.

Kilkenny 1-12 Dublin 0-13

9,674 are in O’Moore Park, Portlaoise today and few of them will disagree that Walter Walsh’s clinical finishing is the difference between these sides today.

Kilkenny will be disappointed to be embroiled in a game this close to the final whistle.  Walsh aside, they’ve struggled to find any sort of rhythm today.

Dublin just beginning to run out of steam with a Boland wide from a free. But maybe, just maybe they have a second wind. Scutte with a fine run and score to narrow the gap to a minimum.

Kilkenny 1-12 Dublin 0-14

IT’S LEVEL WITH FIVE MINUTES TO GO.

Sorry for shouting, but Conal Keaney has just fired between the sticks.

Kilkenny 1-12 Dublin 0-15

OFF THE POST!

Keaney very nearly grabs his second score in as many minutes, but the Cats are hanging in there.

Keaney is lighting up the late stages of this game. He wins a 20m free… and Boland splits the posts.

Kilkenny 1-12 Dublin 0-16

45 m Larkin free to Kilkenny. We’re level here going into two minutes of injury time.

Hang onto your hats.

Kilkenny 1-13 Dublin 0-16

Kilkenny 1-13 Dublin 0-17

Boland knocks over another free and Dublin lead!

TJ Reid to the rescue for Kilkenny.

Dramatic finish in O’Moore park, but the the replacement half forward’s last-gasp intervention means they will have to do it all over again next weekend.

FULL TIME: Kilkenny 1-14 Dublin 0-17

I think I need a lie down after that. Amazing final flurry. Dublin inject some impetus into their hurling project with an immense second half display into the wind.

Conal Keaney can take a lot of plaudits, but isn’t it just like Kilkenny to snatch a result when their opponent has huffed and puffed?

Dublin will make the right noises again next week, but after taking two goes at Wexford, a fourth game in as many weeks may well count against them in next Saturday evening’s replay.