Over the years, some outstanding teams have claimed the Seamus Long Cup, and on Saturday night in Páirc Uí Rinn, Fr O’Neill’s joined this illustrious group.

A number of teams getting into championship gear this weekend...

Waterford 1-10 Cork 0-17: An impressive Cork side overcame a disastrous start to ease to victory over Waterford in this Munster MHC clash in Walsh Park, Waterford.

St Patrick’s Drumcondra 0-9 - Waterford IT 1-19, Fitzgibbon Cup DCU Sportsgrounds

Watergrasshill 0-14 Kilworth 1-8: For the first time, Watergrasshill won the Cork U21BHC final with a hard-earned victory over Kilworth at Páirc Uí Rinn last night. 

A 30-man brawl marred yesterday’s Waterford SHC third round game between Mount Sion and Dungarvan at Fraher Field. 

Fourteen-man Ballygunner encountered some turbulence against old rivals Lismore at Walsh Park yesterday, but a polished second-half showing of 2-14 secured their place in the last four of the Waterford SHC.

Ballygunner became the first team to qualify for the Waterford SHC quarter-finals following a low-key top of the table tussle with Mount Sion at Walsh Park last night (0-20 to 1-9).

Ten years ago Tom Kenny was facing a choice.

Mount Sion 2-22 Tallow 1-07

Muckalee 2-10 James Stephens 1-09

Ballygunner gritted their teeth to take the spoils in a crunch championship tie against 14-man Dungarvan last night at Fraher Field (1-19 to 2-13).

Reigning champions De La Salle blitzed An Rinn 4-17 to 0-11 in the Waterford SHC on Saturday, with Jake Dillon rattling home 3-6, as Derek McGrath’s men secured their second win of the Group 1 campaign.

Richie Foley will miss the remainder of Waterford’s Allianz National Hurling League campaign after undergoing major surgery for a second successive year.

The steep slopes by Carriganore, on the way into Waterford city, are an odd place to recognise the end of your sporting career.

Waterford's John Mullane has revealed that his decision to retire at the start of 2013 was in his mind 12 months ago.

Waterford hurling boss Michael Ryan says he’s optimistic that forward ace John Mullane won’t call time on his inter-county career for another year at least.

There was, as a once-popular Scandinavian quartet might have put it, something in the air that night.

Eoin McGrath has announced his retirement from inter-county hurling following Waterford’s All-Ireland quarter-final defeat by Cork last Sunday.

Cork showed good character in coming from behind to beat Waterford.

There are two very good reasons why Cork can count themselves lucky to be in an All-Ireland semi-final today.

Michael Ryan was au fait enough with Waterford’s goal stats this year to know how much of a problem finding the net has been for his team.

When Waterford manager Michael Ryan appointed Pat Flanagan as physical trainer to the county hurlers, he mentioned Flanagan’s pilgrimage back to Dungarvan the night of the 2002 Munster final.

Waterford put a stormy week behind them to eke out a two-point win away to Galway yesterday, a gritty victory which owed much to Shane Walsh’s match-turning goal.

Philly Campion’s 15th minute goal proved the decisive score as Kilkenny CBS claimed victory in this Leinster Colleges SAHC semi-final at New Ross on Saturday.

ST MARTIN’S (Muckalee) and James Stephens eased into the Kilkenny SHC semi-finals yesterday, but league kings and championship favourites Ballyhale Shamrocks and neighbours and fierce rivals Carrickshock must meet again after a thrilling draw.

IT WAS off-hand comment and revelation, both at the same time.

WATERFORD secured local bragging rights, and a Croke Park date with Dublin, after defeating Kilkenny in this All-Ireland MHC quarter-final Walsh Park on Saturday evening.

I WROTE it on Saturday, I was really looking forward to this weekend. Cork and Galway on Saturday in the qualifiers, Tipperary and Waterford in Páirc Uí Chaoimh yesterday in the Munster final. What a weekend it has been for hurling all right, what a poor weekend.

Waterford are a tough nut to crack, but they won’t hold a team of Tipperary’s ability

TOMORROW’S showdown on Leeside is being billed the Clash of Champions with Munster titleholders Waterford facing All-Ireland kingpins, Tipperary.

Davy Fitzgerald has named his Waterford side for Sunday's Munster Senior Hurling final against Tipperary in Pairc Ui Caoimh.

WATERFORD manager Davy Fitzgerald has made three changes for Sunday’s Munster SHC final against Tipperary in Páirc Uí Chaoimh from the side that defeated Limerick at the semi-final stage.

Waterford 1-17 Galway 1-16

Kilkenny 2-16 Waterford 1-13

WATERFORD star Eoin McGrath has been ruled out for up to six weeks with ankle ligament damage. However, that blow has been softened by the news that brother Ken and fellow veteran Tony Browne are due back in training with the county senior hurling panel tonight.

The Cork hurlers beat a student side for the second week running, overcoming the challenge of a well-organised UL outfit at Pairc Ui Rinn.

1. Diluting the influence of Michael ‘Brick’ Walsh

Tipperary 3-19 Waterford 1-18

WATERFORD have named the same side which started the Munster SHC final replay against Cork for tomorrow’s All-Ireland semi-final with Tipperary.

THE WEEKEND of the British Open, which is detailed elsewhere in these pages, is a perfect cue for talk of tradition and the past, though the (doubtless) heroics of various slacks-wearing, v-neck sporting super-athletes need not detain us here.

SINCE his debut senior season in 1991, Tony Browne has starred in many big occasions for Waterford hurlers.

Michael Cussen is the only change in personnel for Cork, while Sean Og O'hAilpín has been deemed fit to start for Saturday's GAA Munster Senior Hurling Final replay against Waterford at Semple Stadium (7pm).

IN a game that provided plenty of food for thought for manager Davy Fitzgerald, Waterford turned in a substandard performance in going under to Wexford in a senior hurling challenge to mark the official opening of new dressing rooms for the Brickey Rangers club outside Dungarvan last night.

A DULL afternoon in Thurles yesterday, cold and drizzly, dense and low-lying grey clouds enveloping the whole area; reflective of those conditions, out in Semple Stadium a pitiful crowd of just over 11,000 to witness a fixture which, only a few years ago, was one of the glamour clashes on the GAA calendar.

LIMERICK goalkeeper Tadhg Flynn is to make a speedy recovery from the neck injury sustained in Sunday’s NHL defeat to Waterford at Fraher Field, Dungarvan.