GALWAY 2-15 KILKENNY 1-13 2001 All Ireland semi-final, Croke Park The champions were in trouble from as early as the fourth minute when a Eugene Cloonan effort from out the field dipped under the bar. Despite the sending-off of Gregory Kennedy before half-time, Noel Lane's side always looked comfortable.

Among their heroes were Cloonan, who scored 2-9, and Kevin Broderick, scorer of a memorable point on the run 10 minutes from time. But Kilkenny learned their lesson so well that they wouldn't lose another championship match for three years; Lane had a point much later when he claimed that Galway never received the credit they deserved for this victory.

KILKENNY 4-20 GALWAY 1-10 2004 All Ireland qualifiers, Semple Stadium The backlash to the McCarthy Cup holders' provincial semi-"nal defeat by Wexford and what a backlash; this was the single most awesome Kilkenny display of Brian Cody's tenure, orchestrated by Henry Sheffiin (right), who hit 2-11. In the process, however, the winners emptied themselves both of fury and scores; in their next two games, the All Ireland quarter-final draw and replay with Clare, they managed an aggregate of 2-24.

GALWAY 5-18 KILKENNY 4-18 2005 All Ireland semi-final, Croke Park Not the greatest match of the decade but surely the most preposterously entertaining. Weakened by the loss of Noel Hickey through illness, Kilkenny were further hampered by the regularity with which they leaked cheap frees in the first half. Ger Farragher punished them with alacrity, added two quick goals and wound up with 2-9.

KILKENNY 2-22 GALWAY 3-14 2006 All Ireland quarter-final, Semple Stadium Was all over by half-time after Kilkenny, with Cha Fitzpatrick pulling the strings in mideld and managing a goal from a long-range free that Liam Donoghue lost in the evening sunlight, ran riot in the second quarter. Sparked by Derek Lyng's dismissal for a second yellow, Galway's comeback arrived much too late.