Laois or Offaly on the cards for Cody's Cats

Brian Cody's Kilkenny will open their quest for retention of their Leinster and All-Ireland senior championship titles in 2008 with a Leinster semi-final against the winners of the Laois v Offaly tie, it has been confirmed.

The Cats faced Offaly at the semi-final stage this year with a convincing second half performance at Portlaoise, while they also overcame Wexford at the Leinster final stage, and a possible repeat of both those pairings is again on the cards next summer as Kilkenny chase their 65th provincial crown.