Today's second All-Ireland hurling semi-final feels like it needs a tag-line to rival the glory days of Muhammad Ali.
The Dust-up in D3? The Joust on Jones' Road?
Though the late great boxer was past his peak when he fought at Croke Park in 1972, Galway and Limerick come into this clash as the biggest, strongest teams in their sport, and at close to the height of their powers. Only a handful of players on either side measure less than six feet.
The counties have met infrequently in championship - this clash will be just their third in 39 years - but the panels haven't changed dramatically since the 2018 All-Ireland final.
Galway lost their belt that day to a Limerick side that let an eight-point lead dwindle to one, as memories of past failures singed nerves.
But Limerick held on to end a 45-year wait for Liam MacCarthy and have since established themselves as the top-ranked team in the country, with back-to-back Munster and Allianz League titles.
Tipp would doubtless protest but the suspicion is that their the Treaty would be going for three in a row now if Kilkenny had not figured out the Treaty puckout and suffocated their possession game at source at this stage last year.
Even then, the Cats only won by a point as Limerick were controversially denied the chance of a late levelling sideline.
John Kiely's men have won all eight of their games in league and championship this year, by an average margin of six points. Galway were beaten by eight in the different world of early February.
In Munster, Clare (10 points) and Tipperary (nine) were both beaten comfortably and though yesterday's winners Waterford put up a stern test they could still only get within four by the finish.
Galway certainly have the stature and power to go toe to toe with Limerick's marauding middle-third monsters but will they be able to sustain the constant pressure it seems is need to stay in touch? The favourites hit an uncharacteristically high number of wides as Waterford harassed them down the stretch
Limerick have had two weeks off since. Their opponents will be playing for the third weekend in a row.
Aidan Harte blasts home a dramatic goal to put Galway in front for the first time in the second half with four minutes left - watch highlights on The Sunday Game at 9.30pm on Sunday #rtegaa pic.twitter.com/wIzg3MvvRS
— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) November 21, 2020
The Tribesmen should have beaten Kilkenny in the Leinster final but their defence crumbled late on as the forwards faded badly, and there are serious doubts that they would have gotten by Tipperary if Cathal Barrett hadn't picked up that second yellow card.
Still, Aidan Harte getting forward for a crucial goal and the performances of Cathal Mannion (1-03) and Brian Concannon (1-00) in that quarter-final victory over Tipp suggest they might not be as reliant on Joe Canning as in recent seasons.
A concern for Galway is that their substitutes have scored only five points over their three games while Limerick's have racked up 1-07 in the same timeframe.
One of Limerick's reserves today is Peter Casey, who hit three from play against the Déise, as Kiely looks set to keep Dáithi Burke occupied with Seamus Flanagan and try to create some space for the silky skills of Aaron Gillane and Graeme Mulcahy. Darragh O'Donovan also comes in for David Reidy.
Galway have kept faith with the same team but Jason Flynn will be first off the bench if things are going wrong.
A lot has been made of Shane O'Neill managing against his native county and a host of his Na Piarsaigh clubmates but he has bigger things to think about.
Neither captain Padraic Mannion nor former captain David Burke have convinced as a sweeper. Is it better to ditch that tactic and instead try to stop Limerick working the ball out, as they do so well?
Makeshift full-backs Dan Morrissey and Barry Nash were highlighted as potential weak links ahead of the championship but only Tipperary have managed to score a goal against them.
It's a heavyweight rematch as Galway take on Limerick, the team that took their crown two years ago, in today's second All-Ireland SHC semi-final. Watch it live on @RTE2 and @RTEPlayer from 3.20pm. #GAA #RTEGAA pic.twitter.com/HRwcyCwdzP
— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) November 29, 2020
Given the big points tallies Limerick have been racking up, if Galway are to win, they will need the Conors, Whelan and Cooney, Mannion or Concannon to step up and deliver goals.
Recently retired Limerick star Shane Dowling, scorer of a crucial goal in the 2018 final, thinks Galway will push his former team-mates close but likely fall short.
"The Galway-Tipperary match, I thought a lot of the scores were easily come by, compared to the Limerick-Waterford intensity," he told RTÉ Sport.
"If Limerick can bring the same work-rate, Galway will have to match it and I don't think they matched it the last day.
"On that basis alone I would tip Limerick but Galway do like playing in Croke Park and they'll know what’s required to beat Limerick so I think they’ll up their game considerably. I don’t think there will be much in it."
Limerick: Nickie Quaid; Sean Finn, Dan Morrissey, Barry Nash; Diarmuid Byrnes, Declan Hannon (C), Kyle Hayes; Darragh O'Donovan, William O’Donoghue; Gearoid Hegarty, Cian Lynch, Tom Morrissey; Aaron Gillane, Seamus Flanagan, Graeme Mulcahy.
Galway: Eanna Murphy; Gearoid McInerney, Daithi Burke, Shane Cooney; Fintan Burke, Aidan Harte, Joseph Cooney; Padraic Mannion (C), Johnny Coen; Joe Canning, Cathal Mannion, David Burke; Conor Whelan, Conor Cooney, Brian Concannon.
LAST FIVE CHAMPIONSHIP MEETINGS
2018: Limerick 3-16 Galway 2-18 (All-Ireland final)
2005: Galway 1-18 Limerick 2-14 (All-Ireland qualifiers)
1981: Galway 4-16 Limerick 2-17 (All-Ireland semi-final replay)
1981: Galway 1-08 Limerick 0-11 (All-Ireland semi-final)
1980: Galway 2-15 Limerick 3-09 (All-Ireland final)
Watch Waterford v Kilkenny (6pm Saturday) and Limerick v Galway (4pm Sunday) live on RTÉ2, listen to live commentary on RTÉ Radio 1 or follow our live blog on RTÉ Sport Online and the RTÉ News app. Highlights on The Sunday Game (9.30pm RTÉ2)
