St Kieran’s will be very difficult to dethrone

THE introduction of a back-door system sees the provincial losers of Leinster and Munster get a second chance of All-Ireland colleges hurling glory.

The two hurling semi-finals form a double header in Nenagh today with old reliables St Kieran’s and St Flannan’s fancied to reach the final for the second year in a row.

Defending champions St Kieran’s, backboned by Maurice Nolan and the Hogan brothers Richie and Patrick (all county minors from 2004) will be very hard to dethrone.