A super goal from Keith Hogan, brother of county star Brian, fired holders Clara to victory over a young James Stephens team in the first round of the Kilkenny senior hurling championship yesterday.

Kilkenny SHL

All-Ireland intermediate club champions Clara have marked their return to the Kilkenny senior hurling grade in spectacular fashion by winning the league.

Clinton Morrison may be in the twilight of his career, but he still boasts to his younger team-mates about when he played in big games for the Republic of Ireland.

Kilkenny received a massive boost over the weekend with news that TJ Reid is ready to resume his inter-county career.

There was good news for Kilkenny fans as JJ Delaney and Michael Fennelly returned to action, but it was Eoin Larkin who grabbed the headlines in the latest round of the Kilkenny senior hurling league.

GOALKEEPER PJ Ryan last night became the third Kilkenny star to retire from intercounty hurling in recent weeks.

IT was something of a phoney war in that both sides were keeping a little in reserve for the championship, but Ballyhale Shamrocks picked up their first title of the year when winning the senior hurling league final against James Stephens on Saturday.

THE Kilkenny senior hurling league final, which will be played two weeks after the All-Ireland final, will be contested by champions Ballyhale Shamrocks and old city foes James Stephens.

IT WAS a bad weekend for the 2010 county finalists as both O’Loughlin Gaels and Carrickshock suffered defeat in the fourth round of the Kilkenny senior hurling league.

BEATEN All-Ireland finalists O’Loughlin-Gaels are the only team with a 100% record in the two groups of the Kilkenny Senior League after three rounds.

THERE is a unique tri-county element to the Roscrea CC team that will take to the field in this afternoon’s All-Ireland Vocational SAHC final in Semple Stadium.

Ballyhale Shamrocks, the All-Ireland club hurling champions and five in-a-row championship chasers in Kilkenny, got a sharp reminder of how difficult life will be without Henry Shefflin when they crashed to defeat against great rivals James Stephens in the SHL final.

There were mixed results on Saturday afternoon for Kilkenny Schools in hurling and camogie finals action, as Colaiste Mhuire Johnstown, Callan C.S and Wexford side Good Counsel claimed victories.

They’re tied on 30 All-Ireland titles each, but there’s more at stake at Croke Park tomorrow for Cork and Kilkenny than statistics. Stars of the 70’s, Cork’s Brian Murphy and Kilkenny’s Phil ‘Fan’ Larkin discuss battles past and tomorrow’s semi-final with Diarmuid O’Flynn.

COLÁISTE MHUIRE Johnstown face Borrisokane VS in the All-Ireland Vocational Schools SHC A final at Nowlan Park this afternoon (3.30) bidding to atone for last year’s defeat in the decider by Loughrea.

Borrisokane CC 2-9 Coláiste Mhuire, Johnstown 0-8