Not for the first time, an equine metaphor by way of setting the table.

Tralee is buzzing for hoops. The Complex is gripped by Saturday night fever. Even football people are backing the basketball team in their droves and they’re not just following the Star. First cousins Darren and Fergal O’Sullivan are important figures in the Tralee success story. Ahead of tonight’s National Cup semi-final with Pyrobel Killester at the Mardyke Arena, they explain how a town became united behind the Warriors

The Imokilly press evening was winding down when the division’s successes of the nineties were recalled.

“A colourful character, incredibly exuberant, he spent his life teaching people about the set dancing and the music of the area he loved.”

Where once those fans smitten by the skylords of Irish basketball punched holes in the roof at Neptune Stadium, now the harsh winters oblige.

‘Dream comes true for Imokilly’ read the headline in The Examiner on Monday morning, October 6, 1997.

Cork had lost senior star Darragh Fitzgibbon to a straight red card moments beforehand and were trailing by two points, facing the wind, before pulling out that dramatic win.

Ballinhassig 4-17 Castlelyons 1-12: A polished second-half performance powered Ballinhassig to a comprehensive win over Castlelyons in the Cork Premier IHC quarter-final on Saturday evening.

Cork defender Lorcan McLoughlin looks certain to miss Cork’s Munster Championship opener with Waterford after sustaining a suspected broken collarbone playing for his club Kanturk last night.

A guide to the championship won last year by Ballyhea.

Some goals are bigger than others. Michael Moynihan has a look at nine of the most significant scores in the history of Cork v Tipperary.

Huge question marks hang over both Cork and Tipperary. Sunday’s semi-final showdown will provide the answers, argues Donal Óg Cusack.

Few who ventured to Ballynoe on Tuesday evening would have expected what lay in store when Castlelyons and Ballinacurra clashed in the Imokilly JBHC.

With commentator Jon Champion reprimanded by ESPN today for labelling Luis Suarez a cheat, we thought it was time to list five of our favourite commentary moments.

Were Cork schools always strong in Munster colleges competitions? How accurate is this perception?

“D’you see that fine mare over there. Wouldn’t you know she was special from the way she stands out,” nudged the man with a funny hat, pointing his stick in the direction of a grand grey in the middle of the field.

There was tremendous relief for Castlelyons following victory in Round 3 of the Cork Premier IHC at Rathcormac last evening.

Valley Rovers 3-8 Castlelyons 0-15

St Fachtna’s, Skibbereen 0-13 Coláiste na Sceilge 0-9

SUCH was the turmoil of mayhem, madness and general swirling of Banners and Bodhrans in the old place that afternoon that you’re forgiven if you can’t recall what had happened a couple of hours earlier.

THERE’S a familiar ring to Tipperary boss Liam Sheedy’s youth policy for tomorrow’s Munster SHC clash with Cork.

TOM KENNY and Eoin Cadogan have shaken off injury worries to make the Cork starting side for Sunday’s Munster SHC quarter-final in Páirc Uí Chaoimh, as manager Denis Walsh makes three personnel and three positional changes for the clash against Tipperary.

THESE are the options for a chat, says Timmy McCarthy over the phone.

Cork hurling manager Denis Walsh is planning for the 2010 season without experienced wing forward Timmy McCarthy, who has decided to retire from inter-county hurling.

Donal Óg Cusack's Cork hurling colleagues backed him "100%" last night following the sensational revelations about his private life, saying the long-serving goalkeeper would be fully supported by "genuine GAA people".

DONAL ÓG CUSACK’S Cork hurling colleagues backed him “100%” last night following the sensational revelations about his private life, saying the long-serving goalkeeper would be fully supported by “genuine GAA people”.

Carrigtwohill 3-12 Castlelyons 3-9

THE CRITICAL DIFFERENCE. A seven-point gap was a little flattering to Galway and a little harsh on Cork. This was a tight affair where possession around midfield and in the half lines was at a premium.

I WAS talking to four fairly shrewd Corkmen in the press box before throw-in against Galway on Saturday evening and asked them who they thought would win.

AN era ended in showery Semple Stadium on Saturday evening, but could it be that another era has begun?

Offally 1-12 Cork 3-19

LEST it has slipped everyone’s notice, in the week of the Munster senior football final, the Leinster senior hurling final, and a host of first-round football qualifiers, there’s also a big game going on in Tullamore on Saturday: a do-or-die All-Ireland qualifier game for the senior hurlers of Cork and Offaly.

EOIN CADOGAN received a pre- championship blessing from Diarmuid O’Sullivan to be Cork hurling’s new ‘Rock’, the Douglas man has revealed.

PAT McENANEY believes his experience as a referee was crucial when he allowed Armagh forward Ronan Clarke the advantage to goal in Sunday’s Ulster SFC clash against Tyrone.

TIPPERARY goalkeeper Brendan Cummins has revealed a dizzy spell prevent him from returning for the closing minutes of Sunday’s Munster SHC victory over Cork after receiving seven stitches in a head wound.

CORK captain John Gardiner felt yesterday’s Munster SHC quarter-final against Tipperary was “there for the taking” in the second-half.

CORK manager Denis Walsh wasn’t long picking out the crucial period in yesterday’s Munster SHC quarter-final.

WHAT a cracking opening to the 2009 Munster senior hurling championship!

LIAM SHEEDY admitted that his side benefited from a few crucial breaks in yesterday’s Munster SHC quarter-final victory over Cork.

I met a man before the game yesterday, Eamonn O’Driscoll, originally from Christy Ring country in Cloyne but now living in Midleton, and he told me this was his 57th year following Cork in the Munster championship.

Tipperary 1-19 Cork 0-19

Cork hurling boss Denis Walsh has opted for experience rather than wholesale experimentation for next Sunday’s Thurles showdown with Tipperary (kick-off: 4pm).

JOHN GARDINER last night admitted that Cork are aware that people want them to fail following their winter stand-off, as they prepare for Sunday’s Munster SHC quarter-final against Tipperary.

DUBLIN manager Anthony Daly admitted his side received a hurling lesson from Cork in a weekend challenge as former Australian Rules player Aisake O hAilpín starred for the Rebels.

ANYONE in the crowd of more than 3,000 in Fermoy yesterday expecting fireworks was sorely disappointed.

LAST night bookmaking firm Paddy Power released odds on the first Cork senior hurler to retire due to the dispute with the County Board and manager Gerald McCarthy.

In the wake of comments by some of their senior intercounty hurlers in recent days, Cork officials have called for calm on Leeside and for players to show restraint for the greater good of Cork hurling.