GAA:Westmeath referee James McGrath will take charge of the All Ireland hurling final replay between Kilkenny and Galway, the GAA announced this afternoon. Barry Kelly had refereed the drawn final but was not expected to be re-appointed, as under GAA policy officials are traditionally changed in the event of a replay.
McGrath will take charge of his first senior hurling decider at Croke Park on Sunday week, having previously refereed the 2009 minor and 2010 under-21 finals. McGrath was also in charge of the Leinster Hurling League final earlier this year where Galway claimed the title with a famous win over Kilkenny.
Kelly will run the line in the replay along with James Owens.
Alan Kelly, meanwhile, will referee the minor replay, the Galwayman overseeing the match between Tipperary and Dublin.