BACK at the very fag-end of 2017, Roscommon manager Kevin McStay revealed he was struggling to make savings on the cost of the senior football team.

It’s a career that has produced five All-Ireland titles between club and county but Joey Holden would be the first to admit it hasn’t run smoothly.

Ballyhale Shamrocks are AIB All-Ireland club SHC winners for a record seventh time after a power-packed Croke Park display proved far too much for an overwhelmed St Thomas'.

St Thomas’ boss Kevin Lally reckons Henry Shefflin is destined for the Kilkenny manager’s hotseat after guiding Ballyhale Shamrocks to the All-Ireland Club final at the first attempt.

The Galway senior hurlers will be aiming to lean on Kieran ‘Star’ Donaghy’s basketball expertise as much as his experience of big football days, according to forward Conor Cooney.

In a game like this, the inches all count.

Defender David Sherry was the toast of St Thomas' after popping up with a remarkable winning point five minutes into stoppage time at Parnell Park.

Members of the Burke family will leave south Galway this weekend and head to two different north Dublin destinations with similar goals and aspirations in mind.

Experienced Antrim hurler Neil McManus has admitted he fears a disorderly Brexit could spell a return to the days of being stopped at border checkpoints on the way to GAA games.

St Thomas’ claimed their third Galway SHC title with the largest winning margin in nine seasons as Darragh Burke inspired them to a memorable victory at Pearse Stadium.

We all know about football's dummy solo, but now hurling has its own 'dummy' move.

Things we learned

Former Antrim stalwart Greg O’Kane believes many players have lost their pride in the jersey and need to be given a reason to want to play county hurling again.

Here’s a briefing on some of the stories and issues highlighted on irishexaminer.com today.

KARL McKEEGAN stands just 60 minutes away from a potentially perfect end to a 21-year senior hurling career. And as twilight settles on all those seasons in the sun and wind and rain, the former Antrim skipper is in a mood to reminisce.

Cork manager Kieran Kingston has sounded a pragmatic note ahead of this weekend’s NHL clash with Dublin.

AIB All-Ireland Club SHC semi-final - Ruairi Og, Cushendall (Antrim) 3-12 Sarsfields (Galway) 1-6: Earlier this year, when Neil McManus and his girlfriend sat down to book their flights to Asia for the beginning of a six-month round the world trip, they picked May as their travel date.

Antrim ace Neil McManus was the hero with an impressive 1-7 as Ruairi Og, Cushendall pulled off a shock AIB All-Ireland club hurling semi-final win in Navan.

TODAY

The Ulster Council have hit back at suggestions they “disrespected” hurling by playing extra-time in Sunday’s AIB Ulster Club hurling final.

Antrim 1-12 Limerick 0-23: Limerick’s hurlers got their first win of the 2015 Allianz League Division 1B campaign with a hard-fought 0-23 to 1-12 win over Antrim at Ballycastle yesterday.

Tipperary would have won last year’s All-Ireland final had the new penalty rule proposal been in place, according to former Antrim star Terence ‘Sambo’ McNaughton.

Cushendall (Antrim) 2-10 Slaughtneil (Derry) 0-10

Antrim 1-10 Dublin 3-12

THE Camogie Association’s annual congress comes to a conclusion at the Wellington Park Hotel in Belfast today, with a head-to-head battle to succeed Joan O’Flynn as president.

Clarinbridge (Galway) 3-22 De La Salle (Waterford) 1-27

ANTRIM manager Dinny Cahill rued the fact his charges failed to find net on two occasions from 20-metre frees during the second half.

Antrim 2-18 Carlow 3-12

I HAVE a very good friend who likes a punt. This year he did the following treble; Kauto Star to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup – we know what happened there; Portumna to win the All-Ireland club hurling title today and Ireland to win the Grand Slam on Saturday.

WHEN is enough, enough? When does greed become a vice? Today, Portumna bid for their third All-Ireland senior club hurling title in four years, Waterford’s De La Salle are trying to win their first.

De La Salle 1-21 Cushendall 1-19, Parnell Park (after extra-time)

The two best club hurling teams of the last three seasons meet in a mouth-watering All-Ireland Club Hurling Final semi-final at Semple Stadium this afternoon.

A LONG season brings plenty of twists and turns. Kevin Moran identifies one watershed in the De La Salle march to tomorrow’s All-Ireland club semi-final against Cushendall: the proverbial clear-the-air meeting.

FOR the time being, it will matter little to either surprise Munster champions De La Salle or experienced campaigners Cushendall that the conventional view is that the All-Ireland club hurling champions will come from the other semi-final.

PROUD Waterford man Mick Casey was part of the remarkable Wexford football odyssey last season, sharing the training and coaching duties with Jason Ryan.

IF it’s Tuesday, it must be Waterford.

MUNSTER begin the defence of their Martin Donnelly Inter-provincial hurling championship this afternoon in Fermoy when they face Ulster (1.30pm), followed by the football semi-final between the same two provinces.

Cushendall were crowned the first provincial club champions of 2008 thanks to a 1-14 to 1-13 victory over Down champions Ballygalget in the Ulster club SHC final at Casement Park, on a day which saw 13 county finals around the country, and also action in the Ulster and Connacht provincial club championships.

Antrim joint managers Terence McNaughton and Dominic McKinley has selected an unchanged team for their side's second match in All-Ireland SHC qualifier Group 1A - the visit of Laois to Casement Park on Saturday (throw-in 3pm).

Despite some observers pointing to a current crisis in Clare hurling, Antrim half-back Ciaran Herron has a different perspective on today's All-Ireland SHC qualifier between the Glensmen and the Banner at Casement Park (throw-in 2.30pm).

Antrim joint-managers Dominic McKinley and Terence McNaughton have made three alterations to their side for Saturday's All-Ireland SHC qualifier against Clare (Casement Park, throw-in 2.30pm).

Antrim hurling captain Sean Delargy is not too pleased with the new GAA rule which allows players from top counties to play with teams like Westmeath or Kildare.

Antrim 1-13 Dublin 0-12

AFTER a mixed week for favourites in Cheltenham, most people expect Ballyhale Shamrocks to repay the bookies’ faith in today’s AIB All-Ireland Club hurling final.