The light may be getting dimmer on this Kilkenny team but they are raging wildly against it.

I FIRST heard of Páidí Ó Sé from John Long, who played with me on the 1970 Kerry minor team. John often referred to a young emerging star who he felt would be a future football phenomenon.

Former Kerry defender Killian Burns believes Kieran Donaghy has been given much-needed direction by Jack O’Connor. The 1997 All-Ireland winner insists the 2006 footballer-of-the-year’s brief was too wide and vague over the last couple of seasons.

OLLIE BAKER is set to follow his former Clare All-Ireland-winning teammates Davy Fitzgerald and Anthony Daly into inter-county senior management, after being recommended by an Offaly County Board appointments committee to succeed Joe Dooley as the county’s new manager.

BARRY O’SHEA was sympathetic to the fact that his Kerins O’Rahillys clubmate David Moran hadn’t landed an AFL contract — but he was also delighted Moran would be home to play Kilmurry-Ibrickane in the Kerry club’s first appearance in the AIB Munster club football final at the Gaelic Grounds on Sunday (2pm).

AMIDST all the hoopla in Clare hurling circles about tomorrow’s All-Ireland U21 final, the focus on the bigger picture cannot be lost.

THE first thing that probably strikes you looking at Munster’s best hurling team of the last 25 years – an initiative between the Munster Council of the GAA and the Irish Examiner – is the illustration of various eras within the province.

PUSHING the favourites to the absolute limit after having faced the prospect of a heavy defeat was of even less consolation to gallant Clare in the Gaelic Grounds yesterday when they were drawn against Galway in the qualifiers.

So what is the mood in Kerry after Sunday’s Munster SFC semi-final draw with Cork? Was it a bad day at the office or signs the tide is changing in the Rebels’ favour?

SO what is the mood in Kerry after Sunday’s Munster SFC semi-final draw with Cork? Was it a bad day at the office or signs the tide is changing in the Rebels’ favour?

PHILIP WALLACE professes to be mystified by Good Counsel’s failure to win All-Ireland colleges titles.

Reigning Munster and All-Ireland champions Cork are heavily favoured to progress from today's SHC semi-final clash with Clare (throw-in 3.30pm) and make their third successive Liam McCarthy Cup decider.

Tyrone, Armagh and Clare won the Lucozade Breakthrough Awards in football and hurling at Croke Park last night.