Westmeath's Barry Kelly will referee this year's senior All-Ireland final while Dominic Connolly of Kilkenny will take charge of the minor decider. The senior final between Kilkenny and Cork will be refereed by Barry Kelly of Westmeath. It is Kelly's first time to referee an All-Ireland senior hurling decider. However, he brings much experience to his refereeing role as his first major intercounty assignment early in his career was the 2000 All-Ireland minor final. He is a member of the St. Oliver Plunkett's club in Mullingar and played both football and hurling. Kelly refereed the AIB All-Ireland club senior final of 2004 and was the man-in-the-middle at last year's Munster senior decider between Cork and Tipperary. He has been regularly on duty in the Allianz League and earlier this summer was in charge of the Tipperary v Waterford Guinness All-Ireland Hurling quarter final. The minor final, between Galway and Tipperary, will be refereed by Dominic Connolly of Kilkenny. Connolly is in his third season as an intercounty referee. Last year his programme included the Leinster minor final between Dublin and Wexford and early this year he refereed 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 Allianz League and recently refereed the final of the Nicky Rackard Cup. Connolly is a member of the Mooncoin club and played both hurling and football. He won two county senior football medals and one county senior hurling souvenir. Dominic has been refereeing locally since 2001 and has controlled games in both codes in the various grades within the county. Tweet

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