FERVENT FANS of the seemingly unstoppable Kilkenny Senior Hurling Team have well worn the road to Croker at this stage. However, great excitement is yet again mounting in surrounding Kilkenny parishes as fans are bracing themselves for the possibility of clinching a historic five in a row title as they take on Tipperary in this Sunday's All-Ireland Senior Hurling clash.

Staunch supporters were out in great numbers in Glenmore last week to cheer on their local hurlers Mark Phelan and Eoin Murphy from Ballyveria, who were due to play Cork in Semple Stadium on Saturday evening in the final of the All Ireland Intermediate Championship, and Ger Alyward and Colm Foran who are to play Clare in the All Ireland Minor Final on Sunday.

' There is nothing like having men from the locality in an All-Ireland. We are so proud of them and it is a huge honour for the local parish, the club and their families,' said Kilkenny County Councillor and local woman Fidelis Doherty.

' There is great excitement here now and the future looks good here in Glenmore, we have very strong underage hurling and camogie,' added Fidelis, a native of Piercestown in Co. Wexford, who is a converted Kilkenny Cat since her marriage over twenty years ago and is quick to add that she is from Kilkenny stock as her father hailed from the Viper in Kells, Co. Kilkenny.

Jimmy Walsh, Vice-Chairperson of the Glenmore GAA Club was felling very optimistic, saying Kilkenny will give Tipperary 'a run for their money'.

' We will beat them by three or four points, depending on the players, they seem to be falling like flies at the moment,' said Jimmy.

Asked whether the excitement is any less this year, he replied 'who gets sick of winning?'

'It is five in a row we are going for. It is history. We will never get sick of it,' said Jimmy.

' We'll be sick on Monday but not on Sunday,' quipped Fidelis.

Bridget Murphy and Helen Phelan, mothers of Mark and Eoin on the Intermediate team, say they will still be nervous watching their sons play in the final even though they have been through it all before.

' We know what to expect but we are still nervous no matter what,' said Bridget, who is hoping the Senior hurlers will get a good game out of Tipperary.

' Tipperary will put it up to us, winning by one point will do us nicely,' added Helen.

Another few miles out the road in Graiguenamanagh, Kit Manager with the Kilkenny Hurling team Denis 'Rackard' Cody rounded great numbers of local hurling enthusiasts to add excitement to the atmosphere already in the town.

According to Rackard, there is fierce excitement in the hurling camp and all stops are being pulled out in a bid to bring home the historic five in a row title.

'Everything is going well - all is great,' enthused Rackard, who is with the team for over thirty years.

' Tipperary are not a bad team, anyone that gets to an All-Ireland deserves it but we are well focussed. Brian Cody has the lads in great shape,' said Rackard, who is ironically nicknamed after Wexford hurling legend Nicky Rackard ever since he scored a spectacular goal during a match while still in school.

Although he is well used to the pre-match build up Rackard admits he will be more nervous than the lads on the pitch on Sunday.

'No matter what it is an All-Ireland final so you have to be nervous. We are talking about history here, there has never been five in a row before so we don't even think about losing,' he added.

As the cats travel the road to Croke Park again this Sunday they will be undoubtedly purring at the prospect of coming home after creating a little bit of history.

- ELAINE FURLONG