Kilkenny kick the season off with victory in the Bord na Mona Walsh Cup

Donall Farmer / INPHO Henry Shefflin and Sylvie Og Linnane fight for possession Donall Farmer / INPHO / INPHO

Dan Sheridan / INPHO Cian O'Callaghan makes contact with Thomas Breen's helmet Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO

Donall Farmer / INPHO Kilkenny captain David Langton lift's the Walsh Cup Donall Farmer / INPHO / INPHO

The National Hurling League gets underway

Cathal Noonan / INPHO Brian Cody and the Kilkenny team form a guard of honour for Clare, the reigning All-Ireland champions Cathal Noonan / INPHO / INPHO

Cathal Noonan / INPHO Colin Fennelly under pressure from Patrick Donnellan, Conor Ryan and Colin Ryan Cathal Noonan / INPHO / INPHO

Ryan Byrne / INPHO Henry Shefflin makes his way onto the field before they took on Tipperary Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO

Tommy Grealy / INPHO Niall Healy and Lester Ryan Tommy Grealy / INPHO / INPHO

Donall Farmer / INPHO David Herity fails to stop Danny Sutcliffe scoring a goal with a long range effort Donall Farmer / INPHO / INPHO

Donall Farmer / INPHO Wexford's and Kilkenny players await a dropping ball Donall Farmer / INPHO / INPHO

Cathal Noonan / INPHO Cathal Noonan / INPHO / INPHO

Kilkenny see off Tipperary in an epic NHL final

James Crombie / INPHO TJ Reid scores a goal from a penalty James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO

James Crombie / INPHO Brian Cody argues as the teams leave the field at the end of normal time James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO

Cathal Noonan / INPHO Lester Ryan lifts the cup Cathal Noonan / INPHO / INPHO

Kilkenny dismantle Offaly in the Leinster quarter-final

Niall Wynne clears under pressure

James Crombie / INPHO Brian Carney, Jamesie O'Connor, Ollie Canning and Rachel Wyse ahead of the first ever GAA game on Sky James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO

Kilkenny make it past Galway in two thrilling games

James Crombie / INPHO James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO

James Crombie / INPHO Ronan Burke and Fergal Moore with Mark Kelly and Eoin Larkin James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO

James Crombie / INPHO Brian Cody speaks to Tommy Walsh James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO

James Crombie / INPHO TJ Reid and Aidan Fogarty celebrate James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO

James Crombie / INPHO Eoin Larkin and Padraig Walsh with David Collins: James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO

Cody’s side win back their Leinster title with an easy win over the Dubs

Donall Farmer / INPHO Donall Farmer / INPHO / INPHO

Jackie Tyrell and Michael Rice

Lester Ryan celebrates with trophy

The Cats seal their place in the All-Ireland final with a win over Limerick in biblical conditions

Cathal Noonan / INPHO Conor Fogarty and Donal O'Grady clash Cathal Noonan / INPHO / INPHO

David Herity attempts to prevent the sliotar from going over the bar

Richie Power celebrates after scoring a goal

Donall Farmer / INPHO Brian Cody celebrates at the final whistle Donall Farmer / INPHO / INPHO

Kilkenny and Tipp play out of the all-time great games but can’t be separated after 70 minutes

James Crombie / INPHO Seanan, Roisin and Suzanne Raggett before the final James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO

Dan Sheridan / INPHO Richie Power scores a goal past goalkeeper Darren Gleeson Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO

Cathal Noonan / INPHO Richie Power and Richie Hogan with Paddy Stapleton and Padraic Maher Cathal Noonan / INPHO / INPHO

James Crombie / INPHO Barry Kelly and manager Brian Cody after the game James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO

The desperate fan’s 11-step guide to landing an All-Ireland final ticket

Eamon O’Shea expecting a whole new ball game in replay with Cats