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The greatest year in the history of Kilkenny hurling rolls on as 2008 reaches its conclusion.

The greatest year in the history of Kilkenny hurling rolls on as 2008 reaches its conclusion.

Ballyhale Shamrocks and Tullogher Rosbercon landed two more Leinster titles for the county last Sunday to copperfasten what is undoubtedly the best year Kilkenny hurling has ever seen. Some might argue that the entertainment value wasn’t as high as other years, but in terms of trophies won surely ‘08 will never be surpassed. Last Sunday’s victory merely put the icing on the cake and it was the perfect ending to a perfect year.

An unofficial bank holiday Monday was declared in south Kilkenny as Ballyhale Shamrocks strolled to regaining their Leinster senior title over Birr who only got going at a late stage.

Standing in Paric Lactain in Freshford last January watching a young, fit Antrim side lower Kilkenny's colours in the Walsh Cup didn't leave anyone too upset, most people acknowledged that our warriors had just returned from what is now their annual team holiday and that it would take a few training sessions to shake off the cobwebs. Being honest, Kilkenny fans knew that this bunch of Kilkenny players would bust a gut later in the year to land the 3-in-a-row but I don't think anyone could have envisaged exactly what lay ahead for Kilkenny hurling.

Kilkenny reclaimed the Walsh Cup last Sunday after edging out Galway in extra time in a thrilling encounter in Pairc Lactain, Freshford. It may have only been the first Sunday in February but if this game is anything to go by we're in for some cracking action this year. On a bitterly cold afternoon around three thousands souls braved the elements and got full value for their €10 admission fee.

Kilkenny, despite playing below par, picked up two valuable national hurling league points at Nowlan Park last Sunday. It took a last gasp point by Rower Inistioge's Michael Grace to snatch victory from a youthful and spirited Limerick side.

The former All-Ireland goalkeeper for Kilkenny, James McGarry has moved his career into management.

The Cats and the Blues served up a cracking National Hurling league seventh round tie that remained in doubt right up to full time. The visitors, after a blistering start with a Joe Boland goal led 1-6 to 0-4 in the opening 10 minutes. However by the 19th minute they had stretched the lead to six points before a brace of Richie Hogan points had the sides level 1-10 to 0-13 approaching half time. Three further unanswered points including two Henry Shefflin frees saw the home side lead by three points 0-17 to 1-10 at the break. On the restart David O'Callaghan narrowed the lead to one point before Paul Murphy's 18-minute point had Kilkenny five ahead. From there to the end the game intensified with the second David O'Callaghan goal putting his side 3-14 to 0-21 ahead in the 29th minute. A minute later Eoin Larkin netted to restore the lead before David Curtin equalised only to see Eoin Larkin and Richie Hogan add points to deprive them of a memorable result as the final score read Kilkenny 1-23 Dublin 3-15

24-year-old Michael Fennelly has just been given captaincy of the Kilkenny senior hurling team - a great honour to be given to any young man, but especially when it comes with the strong possibility that he will be lifting the McCarthy Cup next September.