Kilkenny SHC Semi-finals: Ballyhale Shamrocks booked their place in the county final for the third year in succession yesterday, but St Martin's and Fenians will have to meet again.

The reigning champions beat James Stephens 0-17 to 13 points, but victory may have come at a big cost. Already missing the injured Henry Shefflin, Shamrocks' hopes of retaining their title suffered another blow when midfielder James 'Cha' Fitzpatrick limped out of the game at Nowlan Park with a suspected metatarsal injury in the first half.

With TJ Reid in fine scoring form, Shamrocks opened up a seven-point lead on the city side - Jackie Tyrrell the only scorer for Stephens - but the loss of Fitzpatrick loosened their grip. Aided by three Eoin Larkin frees, James Stephens closed the gap to four points by half-time, 0-9 to 0-5.

James Stephens kept searching for a way back into the game, but got little change out of a Ballyhale defence which was well marshalled by Eamonn Walsh at full back and centre back Aidan Cummins.

In the first semi-final at Nowlan Park, a late point from Eoin McGrath gave St Martin's another bite at the cherry when they hauled the Fenians back to square the game 1-11 to 0-14.

Martin's struggled to make their first-half dominance count on the scoreboard and they led by only three points at the break - 1-6 to 0-6 - full forward Brian Mulhall scoring the only goal of the game on 14 minutes.

With the game finely balanced in the closing minutes, a point from John Mulhall looked to have given the Johnstown side victory, before McGrath's last-gasp score earned them a replay next Sunday.

SCORERS

Ballyhale Shamrocks: TJ Reid 0-9; E Reid 0-3; B Costelloe 0-2; M Fennelly, E Fitzpatrick, M Aylward 0-1 each. James Stephens: E Larkin 0-6; D Walton, M Ruth 0-2 each; J Tyrrell, E McCormack, G Whelan 0-1 each.

St Martin's: B. Mulhall 1-1; J Mulhall 0-3; S Coonan, John Maher, E McGrath 0-2 each; P Maher 0-1 each. Fenians: K Power 0-7; K Grehan, J Broderick, P Quinlan 0-2 each; L Ryan 0-1.