SundayLeinster SHC, Round FiveDublin v Kilkenny, Parnell Park, 2pmWill the sorrowful mysteries of Dublin’s experience in this fixture be perpetuated, or can they deliver a second championship win over Kilkenny in 84 years? An extraordinarily dire record for a county that won five Leinster titles in that time and remains second on the provincial roll of honour.These days, with the round-robin format, the counties meet at least once every year. Dublin have come close on occasion, losing to late goals in 2018 and 2024, in Parnell Park, where they have never beaten Kilkenny in championship.You have to believe that there’ll never be a better chance to crack that glass. Kilkenny may be on a seventh successive title, but their presence has shrunk incrementally in the 11 years since last winning the All-Ireland.A year ago, Dublin were competitive but ultimately undone by incontinently leaked goals. Among the several players that Derek Lyng has lost since then is Billy Ryan, gone travelling for the season, who was Man of the Match that day.John Hetherton will be a key man for Niall Ó Ceallacháin's side if Dublin are to finally overcome Kilkenny. Photograph: Laszlo Geczo/Inpho Can Dublin keep the goals count down? The defence looks less shaky than in the opening fixture when Offaly took them for four and none were conceded against Galway a week ago. But Kilkenny for all of their travails, are Leinster’s top goal scorers going into the last weekend.Will Kilkenny be able to cope with the twin towers attack of John Hetherton and Ronan Hayes, unveiled to late and devastating effect by Dublin in Salthill? They’re certainly well warned.With their place in the All-Ireland championship under threat for the first time in 30 years and an attack that’s getting some bodies back from injury, Kilkenny are still capable of perpetuating Dublin’s mental block. Verdict: KilkennyKildare v Offaly, St Conleth’s Park, Newbridge, 2pmLike others before them, Kildare have found survival an exhausting and ultimately impossible task, but they would have targeted this fixture as a possible source of points before the season started.They have been impressive in scrapping it out for at least some of all their matches, but Offaly have emphatically proved to be more of a challenge to the counties at the top than a relegation makeweight at the other end.The visitors should win this, and cross their fingers that Dublin take Kilkenny off the road. Verdict: OffalyWexford v Galway, Wexford Park, 2pmAn unpleasantly perfect storm looks likely for Wexford, whose season fizzled out with a first championship defeat to Offaly in 14 years.Keith Rossiter also lost a fistful of players – including Liam Ryan and the Recks – to injury and a red card, not ideal preparation for the visit of the provincial favourites, smarting after Dublin’s late bombardment cost them the points in Salthill.Micheál Donoghue has his own concerns with the injury to Aaron Niland and Galway’s tapering form since annihilating Kilkenny. A response is required here to copper-fasten a place in the final. Verdict: GalwayAn injury for Aaron Niland is a concern Galway as they go to Wexford Park. Photograph: James Lawlor/Inpho