Mike O’Halloran says Kerry have the talent and confidence to see them win well against Carlow in the Leinster Championship Round Robin tie in Tralee on Sunday…

THE Kerry hurlers continue the journey that could lead to a Leinster Championship final when they take on Carlow on Sunday in Austin Stack Park, Tralee (throw in 1pm).

Time was when one would say this is going to be a 50/50 game but those days are long gone, such is the quality and confidence of this team.

Kerry will go into the game as raging hot favourites as they are operating in a division above the visitors. Carlow got to the final of Division 2A where they were beaten by Westmeath who also visit Tralee in this competition.

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In the final of Div 2A, Carlow only managed eight points against Westmeath, losing by two. Their record in the preseason competition, The Bord Na Mona Walsh Cup, was mixed – they beat Meath by three points, lost to Wexford by 14 points and were defeated by their IT by seven points.

In the league they did manage a pretty big score against Derry and Kildare scoring 2-25 and 2-13 respectively.

Kerry on the other hand were comfortable in their retention of their status in Div 1 B with wins over Laois (twice) and a great win away to Offaly while running Limerick close in Killarney and scoring 1-9 against a Clare team that now look like favourites for the All-Ireland.

So all set for two victories at home before the crunch game away to Offaly, where whoever loses gets the “handy draw” against Laois or the harder task against Galway.

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It is hard to understand how the loser is rewarded with what looks like an easier passage than the winner. Surely it will not be a case of one or other of the teams trying their best not to win. I couldn’t see Eamonn Kelly allowing his charges to be beaten by Kerry again, especially on home soil.

The Kerry team has a familiar look about it with the fullback line almost ever present with the two Causeway men Murphy and Carmody split by Patrick Kelly,

Jason Diggins continues the Causeway involvement where he is wing man to Darren Dineen, the best centre back in Div 1B. On the other wing is Tom Murnane who is playing great hurling, despite the injury he received in O’Dorney in the championship against Ballyduff.

John Griffin joins the hard working captain Daniel Collins at midfield.

Calum Harty, the goal poacher and earth scorcher, is at ten where he will hope to feed off the giant slioter magnet paw of Michael O’Leary.

Shane Nolan, the sharp shooter from the still ball is at twelve and I’m sure he will be a busy boy with the frees with the amount of heat the Kerry players put on the defenders in possession of the ball.

As a Ballyduff man, I’m delighted to see the dynamic Jack Goulding returning to the corner at the expense of the excellent Jordan Conway.

Jack Goulding’s father is a breeder of pedigree cattle and this young man has some pedigree in both hurling and football.

Michael Boyle, his fellow Michael Mulvihill man, is at full forward where they are joined by the man they call Egan.

Aiden McCabe continues to keep Martin Stackpoole out from the goal minding duties.

Expect contributions from Jordan Conway, Brendan O’Leary, John Buckley and maybe some game time from Paudie O’Connor and Thomas Casey.

An easy win for Kerry then, before maybe a more stern test against Westmeath.