Welcome along to a big Saturday night of hurling action as the 2015 Allianz hurling league commences. We’re in Páirc Uí Rinn for the Division 1A meeting of Cork and Kilkenny and we’ll also be getting reports from Jackie Cahill in the Gaelic Grounds for Limerick-Waterford. There’s also Division 1B action in Portlaoise as Offaly take on Laois.

Here’s the starting teams in the Gaelic Grounds tonight:

LIMERICK

1. Nickie Quaid (Effin)

2. Stephen Walsh (Glenroe)
3. Richie McCarthy (Blackrock)
4.Seamus Hickey (Murroe-Boher)

5. Donal O’Grady (Granagh-Ballingarry)
6. Wayne McNamara (Adare)
7. Tom Condon (Knockaderry)

8. Cathal King (Na Piarsaigh)
9. Paul Browne (Bruff)

10. Declan Hannon (Adare)
11. Gavin O’Mahony (Kilmallock)
12. Cian Lynch (Patrickswell)

13. David Reidy (Dromin-Athlacca)
14. David Breen (Na Piarsaigh)
15. Adrian Breen (Na Piarsaigh)

WATERFORD

1. Stephen O’Keeffe (Ballygunner)

2. Shane Fives (Tourin)
3. Barry Coughlan (Ballygunner)
4. Noel Connors (Passage)

5. Tadhg Bourke (Clashmore/Kinsalebeg)
6. Austin Gleeson (Mount Sion)
7. Philip Mahony (Ballygunner)

8. Jamie Barron (Fourmilewater)
9. Tom Devine (Modeligo)

10. Kevin Moran (De La Salle)
11. Pauric Mahony (Ballygunner)
12. Jake Dillon (De La Salle)

13. Brian O’Halloran (Clashmore/Kinsalebeg)
14. Michael Walsh (Stradbally)\
15. Michael Kearney (Ballyduff Upper)

Here’s the Cork team named to start tonight:

1. Anthony Nash (Kanturk)

2. Damien Cahalane (St.Finbarr’s)
3. Christopher Joyce (Na Piarsaigh)
4. Conor O’Sullivan (Sarsfields)

5. Cormac Murphy (Mallow)
6. Mark Ellis (Millstreet)
7. Aidan Walsh (Kanturk)

8. Daniel Kearney (Sarsfield)
9. Patrick Cronin (Bishopstown)

10. Seamus Harnedy (St. Ita’s)
11. Bill Cooper (Youghal)
12. Conor Lehane (Midleton)

13. Alan Cadogan (Douglas)
14. Paudi O’Sullivan (Cloyne)
15. Patrick Horgan (Glen Rovers)

Here’s the Kilkenny team named to start:

1. Eoin Murphy (Glenmore)

2. Tomas Keogh (James Stephens)
3. Paul Murphy (Danesfort)
4. Jackie Tyrrell (James Stephens)

5. Brian Kennedy (St  Lachtains)
6. Kieran Joyce (Rower Inistioge)
7. Cillian Buckley (Dicksboro)

8. Conor Fogarty (Erins Own)
9. Lester Ryan (Clara)

10. Padraig Walsh (Tullaroan)
11. Walter Walsh (Tullogher Rosbercon)
12. Matthew Ruth (James Stephens)

13. Mark Kelly (O’Loughlin Gaels)
14. Jonjo Farrell (Thomastown)
15. Richie Hogan (Danesfort)

Ken Sutton / INPHO Ken Sutton / INPHO / INPHO

We’re focusing mainly on tonight’s match in Páirc Uí Rinn but early news from our reporter Jackie Cahill at the Gaelic Grounds:

Two Limerick pre-match changes with Niall Moran for Declan Hannon nd Patrick Begley for David Breen. Then Limerick fire home a goal, David Reidy’s penalty evades Stephen O’Keeffe.

Kilkenny 0-2 Cork 0-1
Richie Hogan ties the teams with a pointed free for Kilkenny after Walter Walsh was fouled and then Matthew Ruth puts them in front.

Ken Sutton / INPHO Ken Sutton / INPHO / INPHO

Cork 0-3 Kilkenny 0-2
Cork fight back with quality points from Paudie O’Sullivan and Alan Cadogan.

Kilkenny 1-3 Cork 0-3
Goal for Kilkenny! The Cats create an overlap with Walter Walsh getting through and after his snapshot is brilliantly blocked by Anthony Nash, Jonjo Farrell dives on the rebound and flicks the ball to the net. Richie Hogan points a free moments later and Kilkenny go three up.

Latest from the Gaelic Grounds and Limerick lead 1-1 to 0-2 against Waterford while it’s 0-6 apiece between Laois and Offaly in O’Moore Park.

Kilkenny 1-4 Cork 0-4
Jonjo Farrell is fouled by Christopher Joyce and the resultant penalty is struck in by Richie Hogan but Anthony Nash diverts it out for a ’65. Hogan subsequently points the ’65.

Ken Sutton / INPHO Ken Sutton / INPHO / INPHO

Kilkenny 1-5 Cork 0-7
Just one in it now after a terrific work by Alan Cadogan sets up a point for Patrick Horgan and then Conor Lehane lofts over a beauty.

Waterford 0-10 Limerick 1-3
Pauric Mahony, Jamie Barron and Brian O’Halloran all impressing in the scoring stakes for Waterford so far.

Kilkenny 1-8 Cork 0-10
Points swapped as Mark Kelly, Hogan and Walter Walsh score for Kilkenny while Cadogan, Horgan and Bill Cooper are on the mark for Cork.

Waterford 0-11 Limerick 1-6
Gavin O’Mahony is bringing Limerick back into it with some fine points.

Latest scores:

Cork 0-11 Kilkenny 1-8
Waterford 0-13 Limerick 1-7
Offaly 0-14 Laois 1-8

Ken Sutton / INPHO Ken Sutton / INPHO / INPHO

Half-Time Scores:

Offaly 0-14 Laois 0-11
Waterford 0-14 Limerick 1-7
Kilkenny 1-11 Cork 0-12

We’re back under way here for the second-half action in Páirc Uí Rinn.

Kilkenny 1-12 Cork 0-12
Fine long-distance point for Kilkenny from Kieran Joyce.

Kilkenny 1-12 Cork 0-13
Points swapped by Seamus Harnedy and Walter Walsh.

Kilkenny 1-14 Cork 0-13
Lester Ryan splits the posts for Kilkenny with a fine point. They may be under strength but so far Kilkenny are dictating the terms of this game.

Limerick 2-10 Waterford 0-16
Second goal of the night from a penalty for David Reidy and Limerick right back in this.

Luke O’Farrell, Cian McCarthy and Lorcan McLoughlin all brought in to try to reinvigorate Cork’s challenge.

It’s 1-18 to 0-17 in favour of Offaly against Laois up in O’Moore Park.

Waterford 0-19 Limerick 2-10
Good response by Waterford to the concession of that goal as they hit three points on the spin.

Kilkenny 1-19 Cork 0-14
Kilkenny dishing out a lesson in Páirc Uí Rinn, it’s an eight point lead they now possess.

Ken Sutton / INPHO Ken Sutton / INPHO / INPHO

Limerick 2-14 Waterford 0-19
Gavin O’Mahony edges Limerick in front.

Kilkenny 1-19 Cork 1-16
Now it look like we have a game. Luke O’Farrell rises to divert a high ball to the net and breathe new life in to Cork’s challenge.

Big goal chance for Kilkenny but Nash is equal to Mark Kelly’s close-range shot and Cork stay in the hunt.

Offaly 1-22 Laois 0-22
That’s 1-14 now for Shane Dooley as Offaly lead with five minutes left.

Kilkenny 1-20 Cork 1-17
Padraig Walsh and Patrick Horgan trade points. Five to go.

Limerick 2-15 Waterford 0-20
Limerick still hold a narrow advantage.

Kilkenny 1-22 Cork 1-17
Points from Mark Kelly and Richie Hogan push Kilkenny five clear.

Goal for Cork!

Limerick 2-16 Waterford 0-22
Big late drama as Richie McCarthy and Paudie Prendergast swap points. Ends in a draw.

Kilkenny 1-22 Cork 2-17
Kilkenny hang on at the  finish despite the concession of two late goals and they claim an opening night win.

Good night then for Kilkenny and Offaly, finished honours even between Limerick and Waterford. That’s all from us this evening, thanks for joining in.