Hogan included in Kilkenny U-21 side
Senior star Richie Hogan has been named to start for Kilkenny in tomorrow's Bord Gais Energy All-Ireland Under-21 Hurling final against Clare, despite concerns over an ankle injury earlier in the week.
Kilkenny manager Michael Walsh has named an unchanged side from the one which beat Antrim in the semi-final.
Hogan is named in the right corner despite picking up an injury early on in last weekend's All-Ireland SHC final win over Tipperary at Croke Park.
The Danesfort clubman will line up alongside John Joe Farrell and James Nolan in the Cats' full-forward line.
Hogan scored 14 points in the semi-final victory over Antrim and is sure to be a marked man.
Kilkenny U-21 captain David Langton is hopeful that his side can build on the success of their senior counterparts this weekend.
"We have been playing well and training hard. It was a great achievement for the seniors to take four-in-a-row, but we couldn't read too much into it," he admitted.
"We are just concentrating on our own match. It's going to be very tough.
"This Clare team are a super team and they are going up for their first All-Ireland final so they are going to be all guns blazing."
And centre-back Langton says that Kilkenny will have to match Clare's hunger if they are to claim back-to-back honours at this grade.
"Hopefully we can get up to their level and retain the crown. It's a great honour to play in Croke Park at any time and I suppose it is a bit of an advantage having played there before.
"The way Clare will look at it is that it is just another pitch.
"It is the same width and length as anywhere else and it's just a game anyway and they will have to play the same way as they do anywhere else."
Clare boss John Minogue will not name his team until Sunday morning.
KILKENNY (U-21HC v Clare): C McGrath; P Murphy, P Nolan, C Fogarty; Lester Ryan, D Langton (capt), M Walsh; M Kelly, Liam Ryan; C Fennelly, M Bergin, J Mulhall; R Hogan, JJ Farrell, J Nolan.
