Kilkenny have no problem travelling to Semple Stadium to face Tipperary in the national hurling league final.

Thurles has been confirmed as the venue for the May 4th showdown, which effectively means that the Premier County have home advantage, but the Cats don't mind as this is in keeping with an existing home-and-away arrangement between the two counties.

"The fact is we played it in Nowlan Park last year, so it's Semple Stadium this time," Kilkenny chairman Ned Quinn tells The Irish Times. "That would have been known in advance, and we're perfectly happy with that.

"We knew going into Sunday's game that if it was Tipp that came through the other semi-final then we were going to Thurles."

Kilkenny's recent record in league finals in Semple Stadium is nothing short of remarkable. Under Brian Cody, the Noresiders have won nine league titles in the last 13 years and five of those successes were recorded in Thurles.

The Black & Amber got the better of Cork in 2002, Clare in 2005, Limerick in 2006, Tipperary in 2009 and Cork again in 2012.

Kilkenny's only league final loss in Thurles under Cody's tenure was against Waterford in 2007. Tweet

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