Kilkenny 3-25 Limerick 0-16 (SH challenge): Kilkenny warmed up for the Leinster championship with an impressive win over Limerick in this inter-county challenge in Inistioge.

Peter McNamara looks some of the likely talking points this weekend in the Allianz Hurling League.

Tipperary last week and now Kilkenny.

Dublin, who saw off Tipperary at home last week, served further notice of their intentions this year with a six-point defeat of All-Ireland champions Kilkenny at Nowlan Park this afternoon.

Kilkenny are nowhere full strength to tackle Cork in the Allianz NHL Division 1 opener at Páirc Uí Rinn but to suggest the defending league champions are relegation material will surely prove to be well wide of the mark.

News that two of the three GAA presidential candidates don’t intend harming a hair on the heads of Gaelic football and hurling will come as welcome relief to many at club level.

Henry Shefflin and Michael Fennelly will start on the Kilkenny team to play Cork in the All-Ireland senior hurling quarter-final in Thurles tomorrow.

Thanks to Bruce Springsteen, the clash of Cork and Kilkenny is the warm-up game.

Coming home from Croke Park yesterday evening, the radio was littered with comments, most negative, about James McGrath’s decision to send off Pat Horgan.

Kilkenny 1-22 Waterford 2-16 aet

So Kilkenny are an ageing, burned-out, exhausted side, playing their fourth big game in three weeks of the hottest weather we’ve had for years.

You can talk about development squads, you can talk about managers, you can talk about coaches, you can talk about backroom staff, but no one will ever do as much for hurling as the players.

Kilkenny and Waterford have revealed their teams for tomorrow night's All-Ireland SHC third phase qualifier at Semple Stadium (throw-in 7pm).

Kilkenny 0-20 Tipperary 1-14

Kilkenny manager Brian Cody has made two enforced changes for Saturday's All-Ireland SHC second phase qualifier against Tipperary at Nowlan Park (throw-in 7pm).

Jackie Tyrrell has recovered from a quad muscle injury to be named in the Kilkenny team for tomorrow's Leinster SHC semi-final replay against Dublin in Portlaoise (throw-in 7pm).

Erin's Own clubman Conor Fogarty will replace the injured Jackie Tyrrell in the Kilkenny defence when they meet Dublin in Sunday's Leinster SHC semi-final at O'Moore Park (throw-in 3.50pm).

Kilkenny 1-24 Galway 1-17

Clare 1-15 Kilkenny 3-10, Ennis

ALLIANZ HL DIVISION 1A: Waterford v Tipperary

Kilkenny 2-15 Waterford 0-16

Kilkenny 2-15 Waterford 0-16

2008 All-Ireland minor winning captain Tom Breen will start for Kilkenny when they launch their Allianz Hurling League title defence away to Galway tomorrow.

Galway was rocked by rumours last night that goalkeeper James Skehill had seriously injured his shoulder in training yesterday evening and could miss tomorrow’s All-Ireland senior hurling final replay against Kilkenny.

Galway 2-13 Kilkenny 0-19

Kilkenny have announced the team to play Galway in the All Ireland Senior Hurling Final.

As anticipated, Kilkenny manager Brian Cody has made two changes to his team for Sunday's All-Ireland SHC semi-final against Tipperary at Croke Park (throw-in 3.30pm).

Kilkenny manager Brian Cody has been given a timely boost by being able to name JJ Delaney, Michael Fennelly, Michael Rice and Aidan Fogarty in his team for tomorrow's All-Ireland SHC quarter-final against Limerick.

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.

There is one enforced change to the Kilkenny team to face Galway in tomorrow's Leinster SHC final, with Noel Hickey replacing the injured JJ Delaney in defence.

What a weekend of hurling awaits.

Jackie Tyrrell insists Kilkenny aren’t paying any attention to pundits criticising their style of play.

Henry Shefflin has expressed delight at his return to competitive hurling but insists he would be “foolish to start thinking that I’m grand and ready to go back playing with Kilkenny”.

Mickey Harte found it out in 2006. Jack O’Connor discovered it in 2010.

There’s a film, Gone In 60 Seconds, about a master car-thief whose forte is to ‘lift’ any car in a minute or less.

It appears those cunning Sicilians knew something about hurling, in addition to the protection racket. There’s an old Mafia saying that real power can’t be given: it must be taken.

Iarnrod Eireann announced last week there were special services running to and from Thurles for the eagerly awaited Allianz League decider.

Kilkenny 3-21 Cork 0-16

Brothers Richie and Paddy Hogan have been drafted into the Kilkenny team for Sunday's Allianz Hurling League final against Cork at Semple Stadium (throw-in 4pm).

It’s the tale of the two Richies for Kilkenny manager Brian Cody this week as he prepares his side for the Allianz Hurling League division 1A final against Cork in Semple Stadium, two very contrasting stories.

Kilkenny progressed with their customary assurance yesterday at Semple Stadium but received an adequately stern examination from Clare to earn their right to a spot in the final.

Business as usual for Brian Cody. For the seventh time in 10 years, he will conclude a spring campaign by contesting a league decider as yesterday’s victory over Clare secured their berth in the 2012 final.

Davy Fitzgerald launched a blistering attack on referee Alan Kelly last night, claiming he ignored him as if he was dirt when the Clare boss approached the Galway official during half-time of yesterday’s Division 1 hurling league semi-final at Semple Stadium.

Kilkenny 1-20 Clare 0-14