Brian Cody: 'Excitement' doesn't come into it unless we win

Kilkenny manager Brian Cody is hopeful the experience gap between Sunday's All-Ireland finalists won't count against his team but is confident his side will perform to their "maximum level" against Limerick.

Unfancied at the start of the year, Kilkenny have found their way back to a first All-Ireland final since 2019 and now stand in the way of Limerick's three-in-a-row tilt.

Cody, more used to this stage than any other figure in hurling history, doesn't do giddiness in advance of All-Ireland finals.

"Excitement doesn't come into it all," Cody tells RTÉ Sport at Kilkenny's pre-All-Ireland final press briefing at the Langton House Hotel.

"It's where we are. It's a challenge. We work hard to try and make sure things are right. Excitement will come into it if we win the match.

"Preparations are good. The game (against Clare) was last weekend. Prior to that, we had four good weeks of training. And we have another week or so to go.

"Training is good, the lads are thrilled to be where they are and looking forward coming to every training session. Just bursting to go and that's the way it is."

This time, Kilkenny enter the game's showpiece as the youthful 'challengers'. Of the team that devoured Clare in the semi-final, only four featured in Kilkenny's last All-Ireland final victory in 2015 - TJ Reid, Eoin Murphy, Padraig Walsh and substitute Walter Walsh.

Richie Reid, deployed as centre-back this year, was an unused sub in 2015, while Richie Hogan and Cillian Buckley are still part of the panel.

Cody acknowledges the gap in experience between his own side and their opponents.

"Limerick are champions for the past two years, huge experience. Our lads, a handful of them have experience.

"Easily half of our team wouldn't have played in an