With three of the five runners in the Grade 2 Horse & Jockey Hotel Chase, trainer Willie Mullins was a long odds-on chance to land the spoils, and duly saddled the first three home, headed by Real Steel.

It’s a natural watershed.

Former Tipperary All-Star Liam Cahill was ratified as the new Waterford senior hurling manager on a two-year term, with the option of a third, at last night’s county board meeting in Dungarvan.

Fanning stepped aside for ‘personal reasons’ earlier this month after just one season at the helm.

Founder and chief executive of Nemeton TV Irial Mac Murchú, county secretary Pat Flynn, and vice-chairman Sean Michael O’Regan will also sit on the panel.

“There’s an awful lot of lonely men and women out there.”

Waterford SHC quarter-finals

Three time county champions De La Salle face a relegation play-off to keep their Waterford SHC senior status intact after Fourmilewater dumped them out of the race for the News & Star trophy on Saturday evening at Fraher Field.

Dairygold expects its annual milk supply to exceed a billion litres in the coming years, and has plans to deliver added value at every point along its processing chain.

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.

ALTHOUGH Passage bagged a brace of goals in the closing seven minutes of their Waterford SHC quarter-final against holders De La Salle at Walsh Park on Saturday, the 2-18 to 3-12 scoreline doesn’t nearly mirror the measure of the champions’ dominance.

FERGAL HARTLEY appears to be the front-runner for the vacant Waterford job despite suggestions former Tipperary manager Liam Sheedy is in the running.

BOTH Limerick and Waterford are poised to suffer huge managerial bodyblows today with Donal O’Grady and Davy Fitzgerald stepping down from their respective positions.

TIPPERARY U21 boss Ken Hogan feels greater consideration should be given to the scheduling of the Munster hurling championships, as his charges prepare to face Waterford in tonight’s provincial quarter-final — just three days after the county senior side defeated Cork.

FORMER Waterford senior hurling star Fergal Hartley is set to assume the managerial reins of the county U21 side for the coming season.

IRISH troops are available “at any time” for peacekeeping missions according to the Taoiseach, who reiterated the country’s commitment to conflict resolution despite recent army withdrawals from Kosovo and Chad.

WATERFORD’S Dave Bennett and Tom Feeney have retired from inter-county hurling.

WATERFORD hurling begins the post All-Ireland healing process with a return to domestic championship action this weekend.

Lismore's Dave Bennett will make his first start in this season's National Hurling League when Waterford take on Down in Division 1A tomorrow (Fraher Field, throw-in 3.30pm).

Cork 0-16, Waterford 2-9

Kilkenny’s all-conquering hurlers, as expected, dominate the list of nominees released today for Vodafone GAA All-Stars awards for 2006.

The official nominees for the 2006 Opel Gaelic Players Awards for Hurling have been announced by the Gaelic Players’ Association, with beaten All-Ireland finalists Cork leading the way with 13 nominations.

We put Michael Moynihan in a darkened room with a DVD player, two discs from the All-Ireland semi-finals and a mandate to come up with something different. Our experiment resulted in the following...

The 2006 selections for the Waterford Crystal-sponsored Munster Hurling and Football All-Stars have predictably been dominated by Cork, the reigning provincial champions in both codes.

I HOPE hurling fans are aware that we are witnessing one of the all-time great teams in action.

WATERFORD captain Paul Flynn is out of Sunday’s All-Ireland hurling quarter-final against Tipperary at Croke Park.

Waterford captain Paul Flynn has failed in his bid to be fit to start Sunday's All-Ireland SHC quarter-final against Tipperary (Croke Park, throw-in 4pm).

Waterford team captain Paul Flynn is in danger of missing Sunday's All-Ireland SHC quarter-final against Tipperary (Croke Park, throw-in 4pm).

Laois 1-13 Waterford 2-17

Waterford manager Justin McCarthy has named Ken McGrath in his side for Sunday's Munster SHC semi-final against Tipperary, despite doubts surrounding the 2004 All-Star's fitness (Páirc Uí Chaoímh, throw-in 2.00pm).

WHAT an enthralling Waterford senior hurling championship game at Fraher Field, Dungarvan, on Saturday.

Limerick 0-21 Waterford 0-14

Waterford 0-15 Clare 1-16

Waterford 1-13 Wexford 0-14

De La Salle clubman Brian Phelan is Waterford's only change for tomorrow's All-Ireland hurling qualifier Group B tie against Offaly at Dr Cullen Park (throw-in 7.15pm).

Cork and Waterford lock horns at Semple Stadium today as the All-Ireland champions bid to dethrone the provincial champions, but the Decies could line out without their two most influential players.

THE build-up to tomorrow’s clash of the Munster and All-Ireland SHC champions has been dominated more by speculation on the fitness of Waterford stars Ken McGrath and Paul Flynn than on their prospects of beating Cork for the second year in a row.