Early Leinster damage decisive

The powerbases of hurling in Leinster and Munster was reflected in the starting sides chosen by the respective managers Joe Dooley and Liam Sheedy for this Martin Donnelly Interprovincial Championship hurling semi-final in Nowlan Park yesterday.

All-Ireland champions Kilkenny supplied 11 for Leinster (all six backs, both midfielders, three forwards), while Tipperary — beaten All-Ireland finalists last year and champions of 2010 — had three of the Munster defence, one midfielder and two forwards while a seventh, Conor O’Mahony, missed out through illness.

On the evidence of the display on the field the centre of power hasn’t changed since that All-Ireland final with Leinster powering to a three-goal half-time lead (3-8 to 0-8) then holding on reasonably comfortably to record a four-point win. But it wasn’t an all Kilkenny show by any means with Offaly forwards Joe Bergin (1-1) and the manager’s son Shane Dooley (0-5) contributing 1-6 between them.