I doubt the Kerry players spent too much time discussing their Munster final victory over Tipperary as they supped a few pints in Killarney on Sunday night.

Former Cork star Seán Óg Ó hAilpín believes Cork will deploy a sweeper in Sunday’s All-Ireland SHC final against Clare to counteract their opponents’ similar system.

Cork defender Shane O’Neill is not buying the theory that Dublin hurlers will be disadvantaged in not having played a competitive game since their memorable Leinster final victory over Galway on July 7.

Tyrone’s young guns face the first major test of their careers this weekend, according to attacker Mark Donnelly.

There was no shortage of excitement in the third round of the Mayo senior club football championship with Crossmolina, the 2001 All-Ireland club champions, snatching a place in the quarter-finals in dramatic fashion.

For all the cryotherapy and treatments Darran O’Sullivan underwent to remedy his hamstring in time for this evening, deep down he knew he was behind the eight ball after scoring Kerry’s vital goal against Westmeath on Sunday.

Paul Galvin has admitted he was close to retiring from inter-county football last year.

PHILIP JORDAN reckons pal and former colleague Peter Canavan views the Fermanagh manager’s position as a potential stepping stone to the top job in his native Tyrone.

SEÁN Óg Ó hAilpín’s declarations in the media that he was willing to return to the Cork senior hurling squad if there was a change of management and his club form for Na Piarsaigh were the key factors behind Jimmy Barry-Murphy’s decision to recruit the 2005 All-Ireland winning captain into his 2012 preliminary squad.

FIVE years after departing Cork, John Allen is back in inter-county management.

LIMERICK captain Gavin O’Mahony believes John Allen is the perfect choice to replace Donal O’Grady as senior hurling manager.

THE eight hurling counties who oppose the new Allianz League structure will formulate a motion to Central Council in an attempt to overturn the group’s decision made last month.

THERE was really no excuse for Gaelic football last Sunday.

FOR a telling barometer when it comes to the temperature in Cork over the last week, move beyond the obvious.

MARTIN CLARKE yesterday reaffirmed his loyalty to Down’s championship campaign while also leaving the door open for a possible return to the AFL in years to come.

ALL-IRELAND champions Kerry have named just five of the team that started in last September’s victory over Cork for tomorrow’s NFL Division 1 opener against Dublin in Killarney.

CORK star Sean Óg O hAilpín says he is softening in his attitude towards the players that ex-manager Gerald McCarthy brought in to play for Cork in the National Hurling League last year.

THIS one felt good.

CORK GAA star Seán Óg Ó hAilpín has described his team-mate Donal Óg Cusack’s revelations about his sexuality as a “watershed in Irish history” — and revealed that he has been racially abused himself on the field of play.

Fermanagh v Down, 3.30pm, Enniskillen

SO much for the Dublin/Kerry All-Ireland football final the romantics were hoping for.

Tyrone and Westmeath have revealed their starting fifteens for tomorrow afternoon's GAA Football All-Ireland qualifier showdown between the sides in Omagh (throw-in 3pm).

Defensive duo Ronan Curran and Sean Og O'hAilpin have recovered from their respective injuries to be named in the Cork team for Saturday's GAA All-Ireland SHC fourth phase qualifier against Galway (Semple Stadium, throw-in 7pm).

TIPPERARY manager Liam Sheedy introduces two newcomers to the heat of Munster senior hurling championship action for Sunday’s semi-final showdown with arch-rivals Cork at Páirc Uí Chaoimh.

OWEN MULLIGAN has predicted that Brian McGuigan’s return to the Tyrone team will kick-start the Ulster champions’ stuttering forward line as they begin their defence of the provincial title this Sunday against Down.

Waterford 2-17 Cork 0-20

Waterford 0-10 Cork 1-20

Tyrone manager Mickey Harte has made three changes for Sunday's Ulster SFC semi-final showdown with Donegal (Clones, throw-in 2.15pm).

Down 2-5 Cork 1-10, Ballygalget

Down teenager Martin Clarke has made an encouraging start to his fledgling Aussie Rules career, starring for Collingwood in yesterday's exhibition match against the Sydney Swans.

Tyrone's injury crisis has deepened with the news that 2005 All-Ireland winning captain Brian Dooher will be out of action for six weeks.

In a repeat of last year’s All-Ireland SFC final, Tyrone edged 14-man Kerry by 1-14 to 1-12 at a wet Healy Park to move temporarily up to third in NFL Division 1A.

Donal Og Cusack, Wayne Sherlock, Brian Murphy, Tom Kenny and Timmy McCarthy - five of Cork's 2005 All-Ireland final side - have returned to the Rebels line-up for Sunday's NHL Division 1A date with Wexford (Wexford Park, throw-in 3.00pm).

The Dr McKenna Cup final will take place at Casement Park on February 19, a week later than previously scheduled.

TWO days after Cork won the 2005 All-Ireland title, the team brought Liam McCarthy up to the Na Piarsaigh clubhouse in Farranree on Cork's northside.

Carlton Blues coach Denis Pagan is getting a glimpse at what might have been this week as Cork hurler Seán Óg Ó hAilpín trains with his Aussie Rules-playing brothers Down Under.