An All-Ireland hurling final... scratch that, a Kilkenny- Tipperary All-Ireland final not selling out?

Good afternoon. Here’s all the news you need to know this lunchtime.

Former Tipperary star James Woodlock has appealed for “fairness” from referee Brian Gavin in Sunday’s All-Ireland SHC final against Kilkenny.

Drom-Inch and Loughmore-Castleiney progressed to the Mid Tipp SHC final with comfortable wins over Holycross-Ballycahill and Moycarkey-Borris at Boherlahan.

James Woodlock was the youngest of the four Tipperary players to announce their inter-county retirements after the 2015 season. The Drom & Inch midfielder was 29 at the time but insists he has no regrets.

Seamus Callanan rejects the idea Tipperary are in transition following the departure of Eamon O’Shea as manager and mass retirements over the winter.

He ended the season with his first piece of significant silverware as a Tipperary hurler but John O’Dwyer has still labelled the 2015 campaign as a considerable let down.

Former Tipperary manager Eamon O’Shea has dismissed speculation linking him with a role in the new Galway senior hurling set-up.

TJ Reid says he has grown tired of people having pop shots at the state of Gaelic football in Kilkenny.

A few minutes after the 2012 All-Ireland final replay Conor Hayes, on duty with Galway Bay FM, was making his way out of the press area in Croke Park when he stopped for a moment. “I once asked an old man what was the best time to cut a hawthorn stick,” Hayes announced.

Harsh lessons learned from Kilkenny down the years were central to this Galway victory, according to winning-captain Andy Smith.

Tipperary 4-23 Limerick 1-16: Did we see the All-Ireland finalists yesterday?

The fans in Nowlan Park yesterday were treated to wonderful entertainment.

Cork 4-21 Tipperary 2-28

Tipperary 2-22, Kilkenny 1-13:

Tipperary 2-19 Clare 0-20

Stephen Cluxton is among six changes to the Dublin side for tonight’s Allianz Football League Division 1 clash with Tyrone in Croke Park (7pm).

A garda based in Bandon, Co Cork, is to get a special award next month for his role over the years in helping young people and promoting the good things they do.

A huge weekend of senior hurling activity saw the Tipperary SHC championship reduced to the last eight, and while there were no major upsets, there were some very significant results, not least the victory of Thurles Sarsfields over Drom-Inch.

This year’s All-Ireland finalists represent over half of the 45 GAA-GPA All Star hurling nominations with 24, 13 going to champions Kilkenny and 11 to Tipperary.

In the end it was hard to avoid the feeling that there was something valedictory, something end-of-era, about it all.

Having contested one of the most dramatic All-Ireland finals in living memory Kilkenny and Tipperary are set to do battle once more this evening.

"Why, so can I, or so can any man; But will they come when you do call for them?"

And so we arrive at the replay fixture — at long, long last.

Kilkenny manager Brian Cody has made three changes to the team to face Tipperary in Saturday evening's All Ireland hurling final replay.

It was a case of deja-vu at Croke Park this afternoon as for the third year in succession the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Final will go to a replay, after an epic encounter.

Another September.

Richie Hogan, Kilkenny’s top player this season, has an impressive compliment of skills — strength, pace, bravery and has a tendency to save some of his best displays against Tipperary.

1. Callanan coming of age

Tipperary must play on the front foot on Sunday, while at all times maintaining a strict defensive system, suggests Jackie Cahill. 

In the three years Kilkenny and Tipperary have contested All-Ireland finals since 2009, they have collected an impressive 33 out of 45 All Stars.

Former Tipperary defender Declan Fanning has accused county board officials of not realising what it takes to prepare for an All-Ireland final after calls for the postponement of the weekend’s scheduled club fixtures were rejected.

Heuston Station, 6pm Sunday. "Don’t be too hard on us." "They never got going."

ALL-IRELAND SHC SEMI-FINAL:

Tony Considine, holds his hands up. He predicted a Cork victory and a classic. On both counts he was way off the mark.

Tipperary set up an All-Ireland final date with neighbours and arch rivals Kilkenny after seeing off one of their other traditional foes with surprising ease at Croke Park.

Earlier this week, hurling greats Nicky English, Eddie Brennan and Donal O’Grady sat down with Eoghan Cormican to pore over the game’s "most unpredictable" fixture

Eamon O’Shea has a placement rather than a selection dilemma in the key full-back role