Confirmed: Cork's Colm Lyons appointed for All-Ireland hurling final

Cork’s Colm Lyons has been appointed to take charge of Sunday week’s All-Ireland senior hurling final between Kilkenny and Limerick

MAN IN THE MIDDLE: Referee Colm Lyons during the GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship Quarter-Final match between Clare and Wexford at the FBD Semple Stadium in Thurles, Tipperary. Pic: Ray McManus/Sportsfile

Colm Lyons will become the first Cork referee to take charge of an All-Ireland senior hurling final in 13 years when he throws in the ball for the Kilkenny-Limerick clash on Sunday week.

The Nemo Rangers man follows Offaly-born Diarmuid Kirwan (Éire Óg), who was the man in the middle for the 2007 and ‘09 All-Ireland finals. Prior to that, Willie Horgan was the referee for the 1991 game between Tipperary and Kilkenny.

Lyons has taken charge of championship matches involving both finalists this year. As well as the Clare-Wexford quarter-final, he officiated the Clare-Limerick Munster round robin game in Ennis and Galway-Kilkenny Leinster group match in Salthill.

Lyons was the man in the middle for the 2020 Munster final between Limerick and Waterford having been appointed to the All-Ireland senior club final earlier that year. He was also referee for the 2012 All-Ireland minor final, 2017 Division 1 and Leinster finals and 2018 All-Ireland senior club decider.

Lyons’ umpires will be Ciarán Hanley (Brian Dillons) and Johnny Barry (Ballinure), Philip Mackey and Finian Mullane (Nemo Rangers).

Liam Gordon of Galway is standby referee/linesman and the other linesman is Paud O Dwyer (Carlow). Tipperary’s Michael Kennedy is the sideline official.