Out of over 2,000 clubs in the country, they’re the two running onto Croker. It makes for one of the most glorious days of all

Limerick hurling’s bright young star Cian Lynch is capable of rolling with the punches at senior level, according to his Patrickswell club-mate Gary Kirby.

It’s some progress, we suppose, writes Kieran Shannon.

Waterford secretary Timmy O’Keeffe fears teams could be eliminated from county championships by June if national proposals to condense club competitions into a calendar year are successful.

Joe Canning will lead Galway out for the first time in his career on Sunday when he captains the Tribesmen in their bid to topple Kilkenny in the Allianz Hurling League semi-final.

Dublin’s hurlers and footballers could be taking centre stage in Croke Park on St Patrick’s Day in future, if the All-Ireland club championships are wrapped up in the calendar year.

GAA president Liam O’Neill has challenged the Association to back the Football Review Committee’s (FRC) Championship proposal or produce a better alternative.

The second and final report of the Football Review Committee set up by GAA President Liam Ó Néill in April 2012 has been published today.

Jamie Clarke said the prospect of working with Kieran McGeeney was the big carrot which brought him back home to Armagh.

In recent years the Fitzgibbon Cup has become a vital breeding ground to gain experience for the inter-county game

Tyrone defenders have come and gone over the years, but Conor Gormley has bucked the turnover trend.

Inadequate preparations contributed to Ulster’s downfall in their inter-provincial hurling championship semi-final against Munster on Sunday, according to Antrim secretary Frankie Quinn.

AIB ALL-IRELAND CLUB SHC SEMI-FINAL

Armagh manager Paul Grimley has selected a new-look team for Saturday's Allianz Football League Division 2 opener against Laois at O'Moore Park (throw-in 7pm).

Leinster GAA chairman Martin Skelly has welcomed the return of Antrim to the Walsh Cup and also the inclusion of more Ulster hurling teams in the Kehoe Cup competition.

Salthill/Knocknacarra 0-8 St Brigid’s 0-15

Former Armagh star John McEntee has praised referees chief Pat McEnaney for making the game “a bit more manly again”.

Give club players a break, have an open draw and play off the entire All-Ireland Club championship before Christmas — so says Kilmallock manager Tony Considine as he prepares his side for their first round Munster championship game against Tipperary champions Thurles Sars or Drom-and-Inch on October 28.

It’s a little-known fact but before there was an All-Ireland club championship at any grade in the modern era there was a Munster equivalent, with Glen Rovers of Cork beating Mount Sion of Waterford in a replay in 1964 to become the first champions.

The All-Ireland Club championship is a far more even competition than its inter-county counterpart.

Eoin Brosnan has his sights set on national league glory following his first run out of the year with Kerry on Sunday.

Dromid Pearses have been banned from representing Kerry at provincial and national level for three years.

Crossmaglen Rangers manager Tony McEntee believes Sigerson Cup football should be off-limits to senior inter-county players and the colleges competition should be used to develop promising club players.

THE death has taken place of the man often described as the original ‘maor uisce’ of the GAA.

NEWCASTLE-based club Cú Chullains will make history tomorrow as they compete in the All-Ireland Club championship only four years into their existence.

IT happened nearly seven years ago now on February 14, 2004 in an All-Ireland semi-final, but the memory still haunts O’Loughlin Gaels’ towering centre-back Brian Hogan.

St. Gall's, St. John's and St Mochta's all claimed All-Ireland Sevens Football titles yesterday, while Westport also picked up a prestigious Sevens gong.

DIARMUID O’FLYNN (DO’F): “Francis, you actually recorded a series of firsts in your career?”

CJ McGourty has become the first player from St Gall's All-Ireland Club Championship-winning side to return to training with the Antrim senior football panel.

AT this time of year, most clubs in the country, whatever their grade, are in serious training for their upcoming county championships. But any of those worth their salt are also thinking of All-Ireland finals.

DONEGAL 3-11 LAOIS 0-5

Donoughmore (Cork) 2-6 Carnacon (Mayo) 1-8

WITH Kilkenny crowned National League champions in Thurles last Sunday after an epic battle with Tipperary, a new All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship season is about to start but it’s a championship with a difference, in one province particularly.

IN the end, it turned out to be as easy as expected for Portumna. All the pre-game hype about this being one of the best club hurling sides of all time was justified.

FIRST things first. Pat Gilroy’s recent comments that the All-Ireland club championship should be condensed into a calendar year are illogical, unfounded and unworkable.

KERRY GAA chiefs are to employ former AFL star Tadhg Kennelly as a coach.

THE HAPPY chaos of a winning dressing-room. Ollie Canning was leading the team in their victory song. Damien Hayes was dedicating the club title to his mother, in hospital awaiting dialysis (“We’ll be calling in to the hospital in Galway with the cup before her fourth session,” he said).

AFTER a season which promised so much for Cork Harlequins, the club finished up with nothing to show from a year’s strenuous endeavour.

THERE are hardly two more competitive men on the planet than Davy Fitzgerald of Clare and Donal Óg Cusack of Cork.

SHELL-SHOCKED is the only way to describe Harlequins women’s hockey side at the end of their All-Ireland Club Championship qualifier on Saturday.

Next week's All-Ireland Club Finals at Croke Park will be all-ticket.