Kirwin and McGrath to referee hurling finals

The Central Referees Appointments Committee of the GAA has announced the referees for the forthcoming All-Ireland Senior and Minor Hurling Championship finals.

The GAA All-Ireland Senior Hurling final between Kilkenny and Tipperary on September 6 will be refereed by Diarmuid Kirwan of Cork.

He refereed the All-Ireland Minor deciders of 2002 and 2003 and joined the ranks of Liam McCarthy Cup referees in 2007 when he took charge of the Kilkenny v Limerick tie.

Kirwan is a native of Offaly and played hurling and football with Ballyhskenagh from schoolboys up to intermediate.

He has been living in Ovens in Cork for a number of years and played hurling with the local Éire Óg club.

Next month's ESB GAA All-Ireland Minor final between Kilkenny and Galway will be refereed by James McGrath from Westmeath, who refereed the AIB All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling final earlier this year.

The Turin clubman has been refereeing locally since 1997 and joined the intercounty panel a year later.

His assignments this year also included the historic Leinster Senior Championship game between Dublin and Antrim at Croke Park in June.