The GAA have selected Wicklow's John Keenan as the referee for the All-Ireland senior hurling final on July 23.
It will mark the first time Keenan has taken charge of the senior decider, having run the show at underage level in previous years.
Keenan has taken charge of several games in this year's championship, including the All-Ireland quarter-final between Galway and Tipperary last month.
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GAA: Hurling final referee named
The All-Ireland hurling final is just ten days away, and for the second year running Kilkenny will face Limerick in Croke Park.
The man in the middle for the big day will be Wicklow's John Keenan, who will referee the senior final for the first time after taking charge of the 2016 minor final, and the 2018 under-21 final. He has also refereed both senior provincial finals, overseeing Limerick's victory in the Munster final last year.
13 May 2023; A member of the Clare backroom team is shown a red card by referee John Keenan during the Munster GAA Hurling Senior Championship Round 3 match between Waterford and Clare at FBD Semple Stadium in Thurles, Tipperary. Photo by Eóin Noonan/Sportsfile
That game was not without controversy, with suspensions for incidents coming in the days after for two of the Clare players. However, Keenan's general preference to allow the game to flow earned him widespread praise, including from former Galway star Joe Canning.
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Keenan, of the Aughrim club in County Wicklow, will be aided by linesmen Liam Gordon (Galway), and James Owens (Wexford), while Shane Hynes of Galway will be the sideline official.
Only two Wicklow men have ever refereed a senior hurling final previously, with Keenan joining Eamonn Moules and Jimmy Hatton on the elite list.
This will be the final intercounty game of Keenan's career, as he reaches the age limit for selection before the beginning of the 2024 season. For one of hurling's finest referees, it is a fitting way to see out his career, with his final game more than likely to take the role of his biggest ever.
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