Defending champions CBC advanced to the semi-finals of the Clayton Hotels Munster Schools Senior Cup with an 11-point win over Castletroy College.

Defending champions CBC advanced to the semi-finals of the Clayton Hotels Munster Schools Senior Cup with this 11-point win over Castletroy College.

Cork pair Daragh O’Riordan and Mikey Walsh (Ford Fiesta WRC) won the Rose Hotel Circuit of Kerry Rally in Tralee — round two of the Top Part West Coast Rally Championship.

This was a fitting climax for a pair of athletes replete with class — and indeed, courage.

Clonmel’s Roy White (Ford Fiesta WRC) claimed his first victory in a round of the Irish Tarmac Championship courtesy of his win on the Macroom based CBtooolhire.com Cork “20” International Rally.

With maximum points from the Prestone British Rally championship category of the Renties Ypres Rally in view, there was final stage agony for the Cork-Kerry duo of Keith Cronin/Mikie Galvin (Hyundai i20 R5) — a puncture that relegated them to third of the BRC contenders.

Familiarity won’t be an issue in tonight’s must-win B&I Cup clash for Munster A at Nottingham’s Ladybay (7.45pm).

UCC Demons have major injury problems, following last week’s heroic Men’s Super League win over Garvey’s Tralee Warriors, for tomorrow’s game away to UCD Marian.

Chris Farrell did not need his arm twisted when the chance to move back from France to Ireland was presented to him in the form of a contract offer from Munster.

Hands in Harmony, a Limerick based deaf community choir are determined to break the stigma against the abilities of deaf people through an untraditional way of celebrating music. 

Tyre choice for the final pair of stages proved crucial and decisive as Ballylickey’s Daniel Cronin and his Killarney co-driver Shane Buckley won the Banna Beach Resort Kerry Winter Rally for the second time in three years.

"The British & Irish Cup is good for getting a Munster group together but most of those lads have put on a Munster Jersey at some stage, they don’t need to know what it's like. They’ve done that loads of times."

Nemo Rangers 2-11 St Vincents 0-9: There was little likelihood of Nemo Rangers losing their second consecutive game in the Cork Premier Intermediate Football Championship in Ballinlough last evening, as they did last season, despite what in different circumstances would have been a serious wides total of 16.

BJ Botha and Denis Hurley headlined a list of departing players from Munster as plans for life under incoming director of rugby Rassie Erasmus continue to take shape.

Munster A 31 Ulster A 38

Dependent on team selection higher up, Munster A coach Mick O’Driscoll has rung the changes for tomorrow’s British & Irish Cup game with Yorkshire Carnegie in Lockwood Park, Huddersfield.

British and Irish Cup

Rivals Cork Constitution and Garryowen are both under strength for this afternoon’s Bank of Ireland Munster Senior Cup quarter-final in Temple Hill (2.30pm).

Anthony Foley has laid it on the line for his players ahead of tomorrow’s Guinness PRO12 clash with the Newport Gwent Dragons at Rodney Parade.

The Valvoline Irish Forest Rally Championship went down to the final stage of the final round, the Glens of Antrim Rally, where fourth place was enough for Monaghan’s Josh Moffett to lift the crown after his only title rival, former champion Michael O’Brien, slid his Ford Focus WRC off the track towards the end of the final stage.

Donegal’s Donagh Kelly (Ford Focus WRC) crowned a magnificent season with victory on the Acesigns Signmakers Cork “20” International Rally, the final round of the Clonakilty Blackpudding Irish Tarmac Championship.

Francis Saili, Munster’s big name signing from Auckland, is set to make his first appearance in the red jersey in Friday’s friendly against Connacht at Thomond Park.

Munster 29 Grenoble 38: A thoroughly convincing 30-minute debut in the red jersey by Tyler Bleyendaal convinced onlookers at Thomond Park that Munster may have come up with a priceless nugget in the New Zealand number 10.

A look around the UL Bowl yesterday quickly indicated that Munster should be in a much better position regarding player availability this season than was the case for the Guinness Pro 12 final against Glasgow Warriors only ten weeks ago.

Munster coach Anthony Foley last night revealed that Tommy O’Donnell is ‘crestfallen’ after being ruled out of Ireland’s Rugby World Cup .

A Dublin woman, who tore clumps of hair from a shop worker’s head during a vicious attack, has been given a three-month suspended sentence.

Former Irish National and Tarmac Group N champion, Kerry’s Alan Ring, admits that it’s taking him time to adjust the power and pace of the Mel Evans S12B Subaru WRC. 

The Moonraker Rally in Ballyvourney and the Rally de Portugal may not have that much in common other than gravel surfaces, but both have a tangible link with former triple British rally champion Keith Cronin.

Munster ‘A’ 30 Ulster Ravens 24:

Doncaster Knights 38 Munster 17: British and Irish Cup: Another body blow on a bad week for Munster.

British and Irish Cup

Munster’s position as one of European rugby’s movers and shakers came under renewed pressure yesterday as the province lost its fight to keep rising homegrown star JJ Hanrahan.

“We are extremely disappointed to announce that we will lose the services of a home-grown talent such as JJ.”

Garryowen 28 Buccaneers 20

Munster A are fighting for their lives in today’s British and Irish Cup tie with Moseley at Billesley Common (2pm).

Knowing exactly what was required, it was a case of precision rather than pace that helped Cork driver Owen Murphy land his second National Forest title in three years as his fourth place points finish on the Glens of Antrim Rally secured the Valvoline Irish Forest Rally Championship.

Senior flanker Sean Dougall returns to active service with Munster’s A’s tonight facing Nottingham as Mick O’Driscoll’s men look to bounce back from last week’s defeat by Worcester.

Munster A coach Mick O’Driscoll makes four personnel changes from last weekend’s British & Irish Cup for this afternoon’s clash with Worcester Warriors (Sixways, 3pm).

Leinster A: 8, Munster A: 18

Even though Anthony Foley was far from optimistic about Keith Earls’ prospects of being given the all clear at his consultation with a top Swedish consultant in London on Monday next, the Munster head coach has included the Ireland and Lions centre in his 38-man European Champions Cup squad.

Munster 13 Edinburgh 14

Ian Keatley will start at out-half for Munster in their Guinness PRO12 opener at home to Edinburgh tonight (KO: 7.35pm) nursing the same injury he had to manage throughout the last campaign.

Munster coach Anthony Foley has included three debutants as he named his starting side for their opening PRO12 fixture.

Veterans Donncha O’Callaghan and BJ Botha provide the experience in an otherwise youthful side chosen by new Munster head coach Anthony Foley for tomorrow’s pre-season friendly against Gloucester at Kingsholm (3pm).