Kilkenny GAA- James Stephens into Kilkenny Senior Hurling decider

On a hectic weekend of hurling championship action in Kilkenny, the meeting of Dicksboro and James Stephens in the semi-final of the St Canices Credit Union Senior Hurling Championship took top billing.

The city neighbours produced an end to end cracker with the Village doing enough to make a first senior decider since 2019 after coming out on top on a 2-18 to 1-18 scoreline.

Conor Browne's 50th minute goal proved to be the difference between the sides in a game that could have gone either way.

Eoin Guilfoyle's opening half goal helped James Stephens move into a 1-11 to 0-10 lead at the interval before Dicksboro bounced back with 1-4 without reply at the start of the second half.

The Boro went three points clear at one stage but when Browne struck the Village's second goal, Seamus Dwyer's side were able to see the game out.

Earlier in the day Shamrocks maintained their bid to win a fifth consecutive Kilkenny hurling title when running out 16 point winners over Clara in a very one sided affair.

Adrian Mullen and Eoin Cody scored 1-13 between them with Mullen's 9th minute goal giving Shamrocks an early advantage that they would never release.

The County champions will now face Tullaroan in the second senior semi-final next Saturday at 3.30pm.

The much anticipated clash will form part of a triple header with the JJ Kavanagh and Sons Junior Hurling Championship semi-finals, Dicksboro v Windgap (12pm), Blacks and Whites v Piltown (1.45pm) also taking place.

On Sunday the Michael Lyng Motors Intermediate Hurling Championship semi-final will take place as Rower-Inistioge face Danesfort at 2pm and Thomastown meet Carrickshock at 3.45pm.

All next weekend's games will take place in UPMC Nowlan Park.