Kilkenny stars in great shape

Kilkenny SHL

The most important news for Cody and his fellow selectors is that a full squad will report for training at Nowlan Park this week. While a couple of players suffered minor knocks, there was nothing to be too concerned about.

Cody will be thrilled that a few of his players showed very good form as the clubs scrambled for positions in the league tables, the finishing places in which determine the draw for the knockout championship which will commence two weeks after the MacCarthy Cup decider.

Without doubt the top performer of the weekend was Richie Power, who helped himself to a fabulous 1-13 as Carrickshock put all worries of relegation behind them when beating St Martin’s (Muckalee), who now face a battle against the drop.

Power started at full-forward. He was the lead man in every raid and threatened every time he gained possession. He crashed one shot against the crossbar before grabbing the goal that more or less decided the game (1-18 to 1-9).

The Shock eventually won by 1-24 to 2-12.

Henry Shefflin, who will be chasing a record 10th winners’ medal in the All-Ireland final, led the Ballyhale Shamrocks attack from centre-forward.

Shefflin, who grabbed 0-9, and the forwards showed a real cutting edge as they hammered Tommy Walsh’s Tullaroan by 2-19 to 0-10. TJ Reid and his brother, Eoin, snapped up the first-half goals that set the Shamrocks on the road to victory as they led by 2-9 to 0-8 at the break.

Shamrocks qualified for the Shield final, which is contested by the runners-up from each league group, while Tullaroan ended in the relegation zone.

Richie Hogan, who is enjoying the best season of his career, picked up five scores as Danesfort played out a 0-10 each draw with Erin’s Own (Castlecomer).

Hogan’s effort wasn’t enough to banish relegation worries for Danesfort, who were caught by a 58th-minute equaliser from a free by Conor Fogarty.

O’Loughlin Gaels suffered their first defeat of the season when beaten by last year’s double champions, Clara, but they had already qualified for the league final against the Rower-Inistioge.

A 46th-minute goal from Ciaran Prendergast was the vital score as improving Clara claimed a 1-15 to 0-17.

All-Ireland intermediate club champions, Rower-Inistioge made it four wins from five games to clinch a place in the league final against O’Loughlin’s when scoring an expected victory over pointless Fenians (Johnstown), 1-13 to 1-9.

The latter lack scoring power and again look in serious trouble after managing to avoid the drop last season.

Improving Dicksboro got the better of James Stephens in the city derby (2-18 to 2-14) to finish as runners-up in their group, thereby gaining the second place in the Shield final versus Ballyhale Shamrocks.