It is part of lore now how a deputation of Wexford hurlers took a bus trip down to Clare around this time last year to exhort Davy Fitzgerald to remain at the helm as manager and along-awaited Leinster title resulted.

Brian Carroll announced his retirement from Offaly hurling this week. Son of two-time All-Ireland medal-winner Pat, he was a member of the last Offaly team to capture the Leinster minor crown (2000) and played in the provincial senior hurling final back in 2004.

The frightening thing is they might just be starting out.

"Substitutions are a consequence of how you read the match. You cannot predict them before the game because it is unpredictable" – Jose Mourinho

LEINSTER SHC SEMI-FINAL:

ONLY six Kilkenny players started and finished in each of their three All-Ireland winning teams of 2006, ‘07, ‘08 — Michael Kavanagh, Jackie Tyrrell (captain the first year), Tommy Walsh, Cha Fitzpatrick, Eddie Brennan and Aidan Fogarty.

TAOISEACH Bertie Ahern found himself in the middle of a plot when visited the National Ploughing Championships at Annaharvey yesterday — but it had nothing to do with politics.

All-Ireland SHC champions Kilkenny got their competitive season off to a winning start as they easily brushed aside the challenge of UCD at Thomastown.

TWENTY points was the Cork target coming into this All-Ireland final. Twenty points was their average all season, and would have won them yesterday’s All-Ireland final and secured that sacred three-in-a-row.

Kilkenny manager Brian Cody has wielded the axe for Saturday's All-Ireland SHC quarter-final against Galway, dropping his own son Donnacha and team captain Jackie Tyrell (Semple Stadium, throw-in 6pm).

Kilkenny 1-23 Wexford 2-12

Noel Hickey and Henry Shefflin have both been included in the Kilkenny team for tomorrow's (Sunday's) NHL Division One semi-final clash with Tipperary (Semple Stadium, throw-in 3.15pm).

Martin Comerford will make his first start of the National Hurling League when Kilkenny take on Antrim in Division 1B tomorrow (Nowlan Park, throw-in 1.00pm).

Tipperary 0-10 Kilkenny 0-19

2003 All-Star Eddie Brennan will start for Kilkenny in tomorrow's NHL Division 1B clash with Laois at Nowlan Park (throw-in 2.30pm), having come off the bench during last week's Walsh Cup final triumph.

FORGET last night, those Allstars are a farce.

Five points separated them at the end of last month's All-Ireland hurling final, but there's nothing to split Cork and Galway in the 2005 Vodafone Hurling AllStar nominations, which were announced this evening.

KILKENNY selector Mick O’Flynn rejected suggestions that their players were complacent going into Sunday’s Leinster SHC final.

ON Saturday morning, the rugby experts and rugby public were raving about New Zealand out-half Daniel Carter as the All-Blacks pulverised Clive Woodward’s lamely-selected Lions.

ANTHONY DALY had some fantastic days in Thurles as a player. Unfortunately, his two worst days as a manager have come at the same venue.

Kilkenny 3-20 Clare 0-15

Kilkenny 3-18 Tipperary 2-16

Michael Ellard and Brendan Larkin

THE Cats will bid for the county’s third All-Ireland senior hurling title in a row on Sunday, nourished by milk from the family farms of two Cork players.

JOHN Gardiner returns at right half-back to the Cork team for Sunday’s All-Ireland SHC final with Kilkenny at Croke Park.

IT was two years ago in Ballinasloe that Kilkenny manager Brian Cody first unveiled some of the talent that would go on to help Kilkenny to back-to-back All-Ireland titles.

THIS is a tougher year than usual to be an Allstar selector, with very few positions/players picking themselves.

THE end of another purrfect week for Kilkenny, but should the Cats now carry a public hurling health warning? Can anyone stop their relentless pursuit of three All-Irelands in a row, and three league titles to boot?

Kilkenny 1-14 Cork 1-11

THE ubiquitous AN Other makes an appearance in the Kilkenny team announced last night for this Sunday's All-Ireland final against Cork, but otherwise the team is unchanged from that which trounced Tipperary in the semi-final.

UNDER Brian Cody, this Kilkenny team is coming very close to greatness. Reigning All-Ireland and National League champions, on Sunday, they are favourites to complete the double-double, a rare feat not achieved since 1982/83, a side that included Cody at full-back on that Kilkenny side.

FROM humble beginnings, Newtownshandrum have risen to the peak of Cork hurling.

Kilkenny boss Brian Cody has been boosted by the return to full training of All-Ireland winning wing-back Richie Mullally following an ankle injury earlier in the summer.

PADDY MULLALLY is a surprise choice at midfield for champions Kilkenny in next Sunday’s Guinness All-Ireland hurling semi-final against Tipperary in Croke Park.

KILKENNY boss Brian Cody has delayed naming his team to face Tipperary in the Guinness All-Ireland SHC semi-final until later this week.

KILKENNY’S success in the All-Ireland minor hurling final last year, embellished with a display of skill and craft, provided further evidence of the rich vein of natural talent in the county which has dominated Leinster at senior level since 1997.

SEVERAL weeks on, Brian Cody has not broken his silence on the departure of team captain Charlie Carter and Brian McEvoy. And, he has no intention of doing so.

Kilkenny have recalled All-Ireland winning goalkeeper James McGarry between the sticks for Sunday's Leinster final clash with Wexford at Croke Park.

WEXFORD are unsure of the availability of Rory McCarthy for Sunday’s Guinness Leinster hurling final against All-Ireland champions Kilkenny in Croke Park.

Hot on the heels of the Charlie Carter saga Kilkenny hurling has been rocked once more by the news that Richie Mullally has suffered a broken ankle.

ALL-IRELAND champions Kilkenny will be without defender Richie Mullally for the Guinness Leinster SHC final against Wexford on July 6.

Kilkenny 5-14, Tipperary 5-13

Tipperary 2-19

IN MANY ways, Kilkenny’s victory in this year’s All-Ireland senior hurling final could be said to be the managerial masterpiece of the year.

Hurling pedigree par excellence is a real plus for Kilkenny star writes Jim O’Sullivan

IF IT ain’t broke don’t fix it. Never change a winning team.