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Kilkenny’s hurling world came to a standstill on Tuesday when the news broke that Henry Shefflin was out of this year’s All-Ireland hurling final. The 31-year-old severed a cruciate ligament during Kilkenny’s semi-final victory over Cork on Sunday.

Kilkenny defender Brian Hogan believes that his side are well primed for an assault on five-in-a-row All-Ireland success this summer.

Delegates at special congress last Saturday gave Galway and Antrim the green light to compete in Leinster for the next three years. There were a number of proposals down for decision but without a doubt this motion was top of the priority list. There has been a lot of changes in the association over the years with this being the most radical on-field change since the backdoor system was introduced in '97. Both Galway and Antrim have now been given the chance to bring the famous Bob O'Keeffe Cup to foreign lands, oh, how times have changed. It may only be for a three-year trial period but I for one feel it's a stepping stone to an open draw or a champions league style championship. Sure Kilkenny are dominant in Leinster at present, but I think this move undermines the great effort that Dublin, Wexford and Offaly are doing to catch up on possibly the greatest Kilkenny team of all times. This move will certainly make it harder for the aforementioned sides to reach the Leinster final- so how this is going to improve hurling in this province is beyond me. Take Dublin for instance, a county that is genuinely trying its best to promote hurling. Their players would look upon it as a huge honour to play in a Leinster decider, the new system could now rob them of that chance. Any player who has won a Leinster senior medal over the years should cherish it. The new championship should in fact be called the 'rest of Ireland championship' during this three-year trial. Everyone will have their own opinion and are well entitled to have it, but the sight of Galway running out on Croke Park for final day doesn't exactly excite me. Call me old-fashioned or set in my ways, but that's the way I feel at present. Maybe I'll feel differently about it after the three-year trial; I wonder what way will the Kilkenny County Board look upon it in three-year’s time if Galway take all three titles during that period? Once again we are victims of our own success! It’s ok for people to mess around with this province, if change was needed, and I'm not so sure it was, but they should have bitten the bullet and brought Munster on board for the champions league style championship.

Kilkenny senior hurlers got the year off to the best possible start last Sunday when they had way too much fire power for a poor Dublin outfit in a bitterly cold Parnell Park. The combination of experienced backs and enthusiastic forwards gave new Dublin manager Anthony Daly a bad start to his stint in charge of the metropolitan side.

Kilkenny notched up their 14th National Hurling League title after a ding-dong battle with the old enemy Tipperary at Thurles last Sunday. I thought that hurling at intercounty level was becoming a bit boring and predictable but Sunday's epic encounter has given me great hope for the coming championship. It's great to beat Tipperary any time but to beat them in their own backyard on final day is extra special.

Kilkenny’s top attacker Richie Power has been ruled out for the national league clash against Dublin for this weekend. Power picked up a serious hamstring injury last weekend while playing a challenge match with his club Carrickshock against Wexford outfit Oulart- the- Ballagh.

Kilkenny manager Brian Cody will be pleased his star players are back on the playing field having recovered from injuries.

Kilkenny's fine victory over Waterford in last Sunday’s All-Ireland semi-final means this current panel are now just 70 odd minutes away from achieving an incredible four-in-a-row. Kerry footballers have achieved this unbelievable feat on two occasions. The men of Wexford have also managed it with the big ball, but only the hurlers of Cork in the 40s can boast about doing it with the small ball.

Kilkenny's fine victory over Waterford in last Sunday’s All-Ireland semi-final means this current panel are now just 70 odd minutes away from achieving an incredible four-in-a-row. Kerry footballers have achieved this unbelievable feat on two occasions. The men of Wexford have also managed it with the big ball, but only the hurlers of Cork in the 40s can boast about doing it with the small ball.

Kilkenny's fine victory over Waterford in last Sunday’s All-Ireland semi-final means this current panel are now just 70 odd minutes away from achieving an incredible four-in-a-row. Kerry footballers have achieved this unbelievable feat on two occasions. The men of Wexford have also managed it with the big ball, but only the hurlers of Cork in the 40s can boast about doing it with the small ball.