Kelly lets his hurling do the talking

THE enduring importance of the M Donnelly inter-provincial series, was in evidence at Fermoy on Saturday when, in a superbly prepared venue, in front of an appreciative crowd of several hundred, a much stronger Munster hurling outfit eventually subdued a Leinster side shorn of several club-tied stars.

“The (club) quarter-finals are on in Dublin, eight clubs involved,” explained Leinster manager John Conran. “The semi-finals are on in Kilkenny while the championships also reaching a climax in Offaly and Wexford, which meant a lot of players were out of the equation.”

Munster are likewise affected with championships still ongoing in all counties bar Kerry, but the greater strength in depth in the southern province was evident in the 15 who took the field with All-star nominees in practically every position.