Westmeath official for hurling final

Barry Kelly will make history next month as the first Westmeath referee for an All-Ireland senior hurling final. Kelly's appointment for the Cork-Kilkenny clash on September 3rd was announced by the GAA yesterday. Dominic Connolly of Kilkenny will referee the minor final between Galway and Tipperary.

While it is Kelly's first All-Ireland senior appointment, he will bring considerable experience to the game. One of his first major intercounty assignments was the 2000 All-Ireland minor final, and since has refereed the All-Ireland club senior final of 2004 and last year's Munster senior decider between Cork and Tipperary.

A member of the St Oliver Plunkett's club in Mullingar, and a teacher at Birr Community School, the 36-year-old Kelly has played football and hurling, and took to refereeing at an early age. His appointment also comes 30 years after his father, John, acted as umpire to another Westmeath referee, Paddy Collins, who took charge of the senior football final between Kerry and Dublin.

Connolly is another relative newcomer to the intercounty referee scene, with only three years' experience, and takes charge of his first minor final. Last year his responsibilities included the Leinster minor final between Dublin and Wexford, and earlier this year he looked after the All-Ireland club junior hurling semi-final between Fr O'Neill's, Cork, and Castleblayney at Carlow.

He was also on duty in the National League and refereed the final of the Nicky Rackard Cup.

Connolly is a member of the Mooncoin club.