WE have been here before. Eight times, in fact, since Galway’s landmark move east to compete in the Leinster Senior Hurling Championship for the first time in 2009.

Sunday’s provincial decider at Croke Park (4pm) will again throw up Leinster’s most familiar final pairing over the past 16 years as Galway strive to halt Kilkenny’s quest for the six-in-a-row.

Prior to Galway plying their trade in Leinster, Kilkenny had captured the Bob O’Keefe 10 times over the previous 11 years, with only Wexford – thanks to Michael Jacob’s dramatic winning goal which sent Brian Cody to his knees in despair – breaking their stranglehold in 2004.

There were two factors behind Galway hurling’s geography switch – firstly, it would make the Leinster championship more competitive and, secondly, eliminate the imbalance where the Tribesmen were entering the knock-out stages of the All-Ireland series cold.

Has this seismic change worked? Partially. Galway went on to end their All-Ireland title famine stretching back almost 30 years in 2017 when recording a first ever championship triumph over Waterford in the final.

But the Cats remain the top dogs – if you excuse the mixed metaphors – in the east, capturing 11 of the last 16 Leinster titles since Galway’s provincial isolation was ended in 2009.

Unsurprisingly, given Offaly’s major decline, Wexford’s mediocrity and Dublin’s failure to build on their Leinster triumph of 2013, finals involving Galway and Kilkenny dominate the Leinster landscape.

This will be the counties’ ninth showdown during that period and though Galway were triumphant in both 2012 and ’18 (after a replay), Kilkenny still largely rule the roost, with six successes, including in the teams’ last three deciders in 2020, ’22 and ’23.

That last Leinster Final two years ago served up a horrible conclusion for Galway. Hanging onto the lead, they were left crestfallen when substitute Cillian Buckley snatched a stoppage-time winning goal.

Had that crushing loss not occurred, Galway fans are entitled to wonder how Henry Shefflin’s sideline tenure might have turned out. Would he be still in charge, for instance? It’s probable, but that was the hand Shefflin was dealt with against the county which helped turn him into the sport’s most decorated player ever.

It’s only in April that the teams last clashed in the championship and if we are to take Kilkenny’s 12-point win at face value, Galway haven’t a prayer of turning the tables on Derek Lyng’s charges.

Despite a ropey league campaign, better was expected of the Tribesmen in that round-robin qualifier, but several seasoned players were struggling for form, with only Cathal Mannion making a lasting impression.

Pictured: The in-form Tom Monaghan prepares to block Dublin’s Conor Burke during Galway’s recent round-robin Leinster championship win at Parnell Park.