Tipp-Cats clash re-fixed for tomorrow night

SATURDAY’s postponed NHL Division One clash tie between Tipperary and Kilkenny is re-fixed for tomorrow night in Semple Stadium, Thurles (8pm).

The repeat of the 2009 All-Ireland SHC final was the most high profile victim of the weather which forced a number of GAA fixtures to be called off including yesterday’s All-Ireland Club SFC semi-final between Corofin and St Gall’s in Parnell Park.

The Thurles showdown was abandoned by referee Barry Kelly after a heavy snow shower hit the area just before the scheduled 7.30pm throw-in. Kelly opted to delay the start time by 10 minutes but there was no let-up in the conditions and he was forced to call to the game off. Both managers backed the referee’s call.

“The surface is too tricky,” saidTipperary boss Liam Sheedy. “And looking up in the sky into the lights, it (the snow) looks like a thousandhurling balls coming down on top of you. It’s just unplayable, which isunfortunate for everyone but in fairness to Barry, he was left with no choice, there was nothing he could do.”

Cody was in full agreement: “There was no other choice, it was unplayable. It’s a shame the snow came as it was building up to be a genuinely decent game and that’s what everyone was looking forward to. But the referee had no choice, the safety of players supersedes everything.”

The next question then was the replay and both counties agreed within minutes of the decision to call of the contest that they would meet again in Thurles tomorrow evening.

An announcement was made onSaturday night that there will be free admission to the re-fixture. However, that is likely to be decided upon by a meeting of the Central Competitions Control Committee this afternoon.

Sheedy added: “There are quite a number of games coming at us, and both counties are anxious to get it played.

“You’ve got to put player safety first, and calling off the match was the right thing to do. There’s a good crowd here tonight; the GAA could also now make a good gesture and allow everyone in free on Tuesday.”

* Kilkenny have named an unchanged side for tomorrow night’s game.