Dublin hurling manager Niall Ó Ceallacháin believes the middle-third battle will be key in his side’s Leinster SHC final showdown against Galway this weekend.

Ó Ceallacháin’s side meet the Tribesmen on Saturday evening at Croke Park (6pm) looking to claim what would their county’s first Bob O’Keeffe Cup success in 13 years.

Having defeated Galway in Salthill three weeks ago, Ó Ceallacháin knows it’ll be a different kind of games at headquarters this weekend.

 "You have to take confidence from beating Galway a couple of weeks ago. You absolutely do,” he told RTE Sport.

"It’s not quite that they're different sports, but there's a big, big difference between Salthill a couple of weeks ago, the conditions there, wind driving down one goal.

"Two halves look very, very different down there. Croke Park is the most open pitch in Ireland. The conditions tend to be very good.

"That brings a different game so it’s a huge challenge again. But we like Croke Park too so we’re looking forward to that.

"I think it's going to be the middle third, as opposed to the individual battles [where the game is won]. I think middle third, we've all seen what Galway are doing this year around how they're setting up, how they're playing through the lines.

"It's fair to say whoever wins that battle of that middle third there has a great chance of winning the game."

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