All signs point to five for the Cats and Cody

IT'S a good thing hurlers aren't superstitious. Or so they tell us anyway. Certainly, those Tipperary players of a mythical nature might want to bring their own good luck symbols with them when they arrive up in Dublin on Saturday.

The reason? Tipperary are staying in the Burlington Hotel. Standard enough venue for an All-Ireland final participant, you might think. And you'd be right.

Except the Burlington has housed at least one of the losing All-Ireland finalists in one code or the other in each of the three years. Last September, the Cork footballers woke up there while Waterford stayed in the Dublin 4 hotel the previous year when they were humbled by Kilkenny in their All-Ireland SHC final.

The Rebel big-ballers were also housed in the 'Burlo' in 2007 when they were beaten by Kerry.

Like most things about Kilkenny hurling, their pre-match sleeping arrangements are like clockwork. The Cats have napped in Citywest Hotel in each of their four All-Ireland triumphs of the last four years and unsurprisingly, Brian Cody hasn't broken protocol this year.

Rumours that Citywest offer a package deal for the All-Ireland final and the All Star awards in October to the Kilkenny players have yet to be confirmed ... .