Cats continue Nowlan Park redevelopment

The Kilkenny County Board have applied for planning permission to continue their redevelopment of their Nowlan Park base.

The stadium, named after James Nowlan, the longest serving President of the GAA (1901-1921), is being upgraded from a 30,000 capacity to 40,000.

County Board chairman Ned Quinn confirmed at the Cats' Annual Convention: "Our application for planning permission to redevelop the O'Loughlin's end of the ground has been lodged. Assuming a positive outcome, the first phase of this development will commence in the coming year with mid-2007 the likely date of completion.

"We look forward to staging one of the Leinster senior hurling semi-finals in Kilkenny, which will further boost income," he added, in reference to the Laois/Offaly v Wexford tie in the 2006 Leinster championship.

Over 7,000 plastic seats were installed before the start of last season, bringing the seating capacity at Nowlan Park to 14,500.