Ballyboden St Endas’ timing couldn’t have been better as they staged a late burst to claim their second Leinster title in four years in an attritional game in MW Hire O’Moore Park.

Champions St Finbarr’s opened their Cork SFC defence with an emphatic victory over Clyda Rovers at Páirc Uí Rinn on Saturday with new manager Paul O’Keeffe, following in the winning footsteps of former boss Ray Keane, well happy with his players for a job well done.

Dublin 2-14, Offaly 0-8: Goals from Tom Fox and Stephen Smith propelled Dublin to a fourth EirGrid Leinster U21 football championship title on the trot, another record for Sky Blues supporters to savour.

Imokilly 3-20 UCC 1-11: Séamus Harnedy starred as Imokilly put together a fine all-round performance to better UCC at Riverstown in the opening round of the Cork SHC last night.

South Kerry 2-10 Austin Stacks 0-8: The sense of anticipation surrounding a first return of Kerry SFC fare to Connolly Park on Tralee’s Rock Street was punctured by a ruthless display from county champions South Kerry in Saturday’s 2nd round replay at the home of Austin Stacks.

Tallow 1-14 Ballyduff Upper 0-16: Fraher Field was subdued yesterday afternoon for the Waterford SHC semi-final between Tallow and Ballyduff Upper, which Tallow eventually won by the narrowest of margins.

St. Finbarr’s 0-11 Aghada 0-8: Measured against their greater potential in the first half when they were limited by some poor finishing, it was no surprise to see St. Finbarr’s emerge victorious from this second round Cork SFC game in the wind and rain in Carrigtwohill on Saturday evening.

O’Donovan Rossa 2-15 Clonakilty 0-10: A West Cork senior football championship game usually produces plenty of fireworks, but this one at Rosscarbery yesterday fizzled out and faded quickly as O’Donovan Rossa crushed a hugely disappointing Clonakilty.

St. Patrick’s (Wicklow)3-10 Éire Óg (Carlow)2-11 (Aet)

Dungarvan 1-16 Tallow 1-10

Clyda Rovers 1-8 Kinsale 1-8

Gavin Brennan scored a last gasp winner as Drogheda made it five wins on the spin to maintain their brilliant season.

Is this a GAA first?

THIS Waterford SHC final was as one-sided as the score suggests as Ballygunner captured their 12th senior title with ease at sun-drenched Walsh Park yesterday.

KENNY EGAN took a major step towards the world championships and, ultimately, next year’s London Olympics when he outpointed Tommy McCarthy (Oliver Plunkett BC) in a heavyweight semi-final that had its share of controversy at last night’s box-offs at the National Stadium.

Ballydesmond 1-9 Glanmire 0-9

CHAMPIONS St. Brendan’s, Killarney reached the knockout stages of the Corn Uí Mhuirí with a comfortable victory over St. Fachtna’s at Cloughduv yesterday.

TALLOW crashed to one of their most ignominious Waterford SHC defeats ever when they were crushed by 21 points by rampant De La Salle in a hopelessly one-sided SHC quarter-final at Fraher Field, Dungarvan yesterday.

STRADBALLY remain in the hunt to retain their Waterford SFC title but only after a dramatic finish to Saturday’s semi-final at Dungarvan’s Fraher Field.

CRESCENT COMPREHENSIVE bid to turn the clock back almost two decades when they contest today’s Avonmore Munster Schools Junior Cup final at Musgrave Park.

CBC advanced to an Avonmore Munster Schools Junior Cup final with Crescent Comprehensive but they may have used up all their luck defeating a gallant Ardscoil Rís at Dooradoyle yesterday.

THEY really don’t come any more dramatic than this!

ROCKWELL COLLEGE, one of the traditional powerhouses in the game for more than a century, and Castletroy College, who have burst on to the scene in sensational fashion over the past few years, clash in an intriguing Avonmore Milk Munster Schools Senior Cup semi-final at Clanwilliam Park, Tipperary this afternoon (3pm).

VICTORS and vanquished will reflect on this Avonmore Munster Schools Senior Cup tie and wonder how the scoreline was so lopsided.

IF Blackwater College lose out to St Caimin’s of Shannon on scoring difference for a place in the play-off stages of this year’s Harty Cup (the Clare school play Our Lady’s of Templemore today), then they can surely curse Doon CBS keeper Colm Cummins.

THURLES CBS opened the defence of their Dr Harty Cup title with a comfortable victory over Coláiste An Spioraid Naoimh in the first round at Rathcormac yesterday.

THE Championship wasn’t confined to Killarney yesterday.

CORN UÍ MHUIRÍ specialists Coláiste Chríost Rí and former winners St Fachtna’s of Skibbereen lived to fight another day following a dramatic drawn quarter-final encounter at the CIT grounds in Cork yesterday.

ALL that is good about Gaelic football was served up by these two schools in a thrilling Corn Uí Mhuirí first round at the Legion Ground, Killarney yesterday.

THE BONFIRES were ablaze in Puckane last night as Kildangan celebrated its first North Tipperary senior hurling title since 1943, its third in all, a victory made all the sweeter in that it was achieved in the most unlikely of circumstances over neighbours and fierce rivals, Burgess.

St Finbarr’s 2-9Macroom 0-6

BRENDAN WALSH came back out of retirement to turn in a man-of-the-match performance that helped Clonakilty get their Evening Echo Cork SFC campaign back on track with a well-deserved victory over Bishopstown at Brinny yesterday.

WATERFORD senior hurling champions Ballyduff Upper are still in contention to retain their crown — but only just.

MARK HARRINGTON scored the decisive goal approaching half-time as Douglas overwhelmed weakened Clonakilty in a one-sided Evening Echo Cork SFC first round tie at Brinny yesterday.

GOOD times for Denis Ring’s Blackwater Community School in Lismore.

IT WAS the breakthrough this relatively new Limerick school dared dream of a year ago when they reached a first Avonmore Munster Schools Junior Cup final, only to have their hopes shattered by PBC.

REVENGE should be high on the agenda for Presentation Brothers College, Cork who take on Castletroy College in the Avonmore Munster Schools Junior Cup decider at Musgrave Park today (3.00).

THE gulf between second and third division teams in the AIB League was highlighted at Temple Hill, Cork, last night, as Highfield deservedly advanced to the final of the ODM Munster Senior Cup.

A SHORT time can make such a difference — ask anyone in Sunday’s Well, the club that barely survived in senior rugby last season.