THERE’S no point in beating around the bush: the stand-out flashes of genius in the hurling and football championships have come in the last couple of weekends.

FORGET the talk of a two-tier Europe.

Economist Jim Power is a proud Waterford hurling fan who believes sport can lift the mood of a nation

EVENTUALLY it sank in, the significance of the array of cars parked at the curve of the Ballinlough Road, their tucked-in queue following the line of the footpath so closely.

SPARE a thought for Conal Keaney today.

AS EXPECTED, mental frailty was exposed ruthlessly in Thurles yesterday.

THERE are five top-flight senior intercounty hurling games left in the season — next weekend’s two quarter-finals, the two semi-finals and the final — and now is as good a time as any to take a quick look at what 2011 has brought so far.

THE texts and mails weren’t long in beeping themselves into consciousness on Saturday evening, an hour after teatime.

Waterford face one of the most potent attacks in the modern game in tomorrow’s Munster hurling final. Déise selector Pádraig Fanning answers three key questions

THE perils of writing about women in sport are easily delineated, yet hard to avoid.