Full steam ahead for Cats and Cody

The Kilkenny injury list which blighted the run-in to their All-Ireland SHC quarter-final win over Limerick has cleared up ahead of Sunday's last-four date with Galway.

Manager Brian Cody has almost a clean bill of health to report, which must worry the Tribesmen as they bid to reach the All-Ireland final for the first time since 2001. Only long-term injury victim Noel Hickey is currently sidelined.

Jackie Tyrell, Richie Power, Peter Barry and Derek Lyng were all rated doubtful before the Cats' clash with the Shannonsiders last time out. But ahead of the weekend, only James Stephens' corner back Tyrell, who made his championship debut against Offaly in June, is under pressure to start.

Tyrell trained fully for the first time in a while last weekend, having picked up a niggling hamstring injury. Kilkenny, bidding for a fourth successive All-Ireland final appearance, will confirm their line-up for the semi-final tonight after a final training stint.

Meanwhile, the next phase of the development st Kilkenny's county ground Nowlan Park is to set their board back €2m.

The figure, quoted at last week's monthly meeting, is for costs for the first phase of three which will see the terracing at the country end of the grounds roofed. A meeting with Sports Minister John O'Donoghue has been requested to discuss available funding.