Fine Gael’s best chance of winning one of the four by-elections is in Dublin Mid-West.

Dr Crokes (Kerry) 3-15 The Nire (Waterford) 0-6: Whatever about the decision to play the Rose of Tralee shortly after the final whistle, there could be no arguing with the rendition of Simply the Best that greeted winning captain Johnny Buckley as he ambled towards the presentation area.

The Nire have been here before. Tomorrow they face Dr Crokes of Killarney in the Munster SFC club final, but two years ago they had Austin Stacks of Tralee on the rack at the same stage of the competition. They just couldn’t close it out.

Waterford’s pre-eminent football clubs have always been viewed in a different light to the county’s flagship side.

Leitrim 0-12 Waterford 0-8: There wasn’t quite the same fanfare that greeted Leitrim’s first qualifier win against Wicklow back in 2012, but Shane Ward’s side were far more convincing yesterday as they picked up their second backdoor victory in Carrick-on-Shannon.

There wasn’t quite the same fanfare that greeted Leitrim’s first qualifier win against Wicklow back in 2012, but Shane Ward’s side were far more convincing today as they picked up their second backdoor victory in Carrick-on-Shannon.

It would seem that if you were to come up with a two-year plan to win the national league, then get relegated in year one.

Waterford SHC semi-final

Seán Barron and Michael O’Halloran are the two Waterford debutants for Sunday’s Munster SFC quarter-final against Tipperary in Semple Stadium (3.30pm).

Jamesie O’Connor has questioned Cork’s ability to “cut teams apart” and feels they don’t have the same ability to create scores as his native Clare, Kilkenny and Tipperary.

The dawn that was promised when Kenny was elected Taoiseach didn’t materialise, writes Michael Clifford

Waterford 0-14 Wicklow 0-10: Allianz Football League Division 4: Waterford reinvested their new found wealth in another adventurous attacking display on Saturday night at Fraher Field.

Waterford made it five wins in a row under Tom McGlinchey as they defeated Wicklow in their Division 4 opener at Fraher Field. Michael O’Halloran kicked four fantastic points for the victors.

Waterford 3-12 UCC 1-9: McGrath Cup final: Silverware in the southeast: Waterford collected a first McGrath Cup in over 30 years with an emphatic win over UCC in Fraher Field, Dungarvan on Saturday.

Waterford have claimed their first McGrath Cup title in 34 years, with goals from Maurice O’Gorman, Gavin Nugent and Joey Veale helping them to only their second ever title, at Fraher Field tonight.

McGrath Cup Final

Waterford will face UCC in the McGrath Cup final at Fraher Field, Dungavan on Saturday (6pm) following their shock victory over Cork last Sunday in Clashmore.

McGrath Cup semi-final

Waterford 1-11 CIT 0-09: Waterford’s Shane Ahearne banged over a point from 60 yards three minutes into this McGrath Cup game to set the tone for the home side.

Amid the mix of those who played last year and the new faces aiming to impress manager Brian Cuthbert, the Cork side which beat Mary Immaculate College on Sunday had one notable returnee.

AIB MUNSTER CLUB SFC FINAL:

The happiest group of people at last night’s low-key annual delegates meeting of the Munster Branch of the Golfing Union of Ireland in Mallow were the representatives of Ballyneety Golf Club, formerly Limerick County, who were awarded the Munster Branch Club of the Year award for 2014.

AIB MUNSTER CLUB SFC SEMI-FINALS:

The Nire (Waterford) 1-11 Ballylanders (Limerick) 0-7

The Nire 0-11 Stradbally 0-6

Waterford SFC final: The best footballers in Waterford will be on show tomorrow when Stradbally and The Nire collide for the seventh time in 13 years at Fraher Field.

Waterford hurling stalwarts Fergal Hartley and John Galvin believe the county is set for a "sustained fallow period" inside the whitewash, calling for patience from the Déise public to allow manager Derek McGrath rebuild the senior team.

The Nire were forced to dig deep before holding out for an unspectacular 1-8 to 0-8 win over a plucky Rathgormack outfit at Fraher Field on Saturday night to earn a place in the last four of the Waterford SFC.

Waterford SHC

Waterford SFC: Although this latest renewal lacked the usual bite, keen rivals The Nire and Stradbally still served up a six-goal spectacle at Fraher Field on Saturday evening.

ALL-IRELAND SHC ROUND 2:

Plastic bag usage has been practically wiped out as a direct result of the decade-old levy on the environmental hazard.

Rathmore 0-14 Dr Crokes 0-9

What marked out the great Waterford team of the last decade was the way they approached the game, a swashbuckling side of freestyle players blessed with the full range of hurling’s skills.

Cork and Waterford to renew rivalry as Munster championship gets underway tomorrow.

FITZGIBBON CUP SEMI-FINAL:

TOM GILMARTIN could well claim to have been responsible for exposing the dodgy finances of two of the leading politicians of his time.

The businessman whose allegations exposed wide-spread political corruption in Ireland and brought an early end to the political career of former taoiseach Bertie Ahern has died.

One of the richest tournaments on the European Tour schedule, the $5m (€3.7m) Dunhill Links, is on this week over three outstanding links courses on the east coast of Scotland — but just three members of the 2012 European Ryder Cup team are competing.

Neighbours Ballyduff Upper and Tallow couldn’t be separated last night in the fourth round of the Waterford SHC in a contest that picked up real pace in the final quarter.

Four councillors and a millionaire businessman who were at the centre of a collapsed planning corruption trial last week had received bribes from political lobbyist Frank Dunlop in return for rezoning favours, the Mahon Tribunal has found.

The publication of the final chapter of the Mahon Report yesterday shines another light on the corrupt nature of how planning decisions were arrived at, writes Michael Clifford