Thomastown manager Noel Doherty set to miss out on Kilkenny SHC Final through suspension

Thomastown are likely to be without their manager Noel Doherty on the sideline for tomorrow afternoon's St Canices Credit Union Kilkenny SHC Final with O'Loughlin Gaels.

Doherty has overseen the South Kilkenny's club rise from Intermediate to a senior county decider in the space of the last 12 months but he's been suspended since an incident in the final league game with Dicksboro a couple of weeks ago.

The Thomastown boss was absent for his side's championship victories over Shamrocks and Mullinavat with coaches Sean Kelly and James Kelly as well as selectors Dessie Walsh and John Brennan manning the sideline which looks like will be the case again on Sunday afternoon.

Thomastown have appealed the decision and gone through Leinster channels but the ban has been upheld to date ahead of their first senior final appearance since 1988.

If Doherty is indeed suspended, the sideline will cut a strange look on Sunday as O'Loughlin Gaels manager Brian Hogan is on the recovery after undergoing surgery last week for a ruptured achillies injury he picked up in the midst of celebrating the quarter-final victory over Dicksboro a few weeks ago and his movement will be restricted.

All eyes will be on and off the pitch as the two teams face off in Sunday's decider which has a 2.30pm throw-in at UPMC Nowlan Park.