All-Ireland champions Tipperary will begin their hurling qualifier quest with a clash against Westmeath, as the Premier seek redemption from their Munster championship loss to Cork, writes Peter McNamara.

The Cork County Board will take a sizeable rental income hit after it was yesterday confirmed Páirc Uí Chaoimh would not be ready in time for the senior footballers’ Munster final clash with Kerry on July 2.

Cork will oppose the All-Ireland SFC ‘Super 8’ proposal at this weekend’s GAA Annual Congress in Croke Park, but will back the Club Players’ Association’s request for official recognition.

GAA president Aogán Ó Fearghail says The Sunday Game has become “predictable” and “tiresome” in its negativity.

Johnny Ryan is in line to referee next month’s All-Ireland senior hurling final. The Tipperary man is understood to face competition from Wexford’s James Owens.

The last time Mullagh won the AIB All-Ireland senior club title, they created quite a shock on the way by beating champions Glen Rovers in the semi-final over two decades ago. 

Thousands gathered at Nowlan Park this evening to welcome home the victorious Kilkenny team after their 35th All-Ireland Senior Hurling triumph yesterday at Croke Park.

GAA fans are in the line of fire as rail workers draw up plans for three work stoppages over four days in response to moves by Iarnród Éireann to cut pay.

Liam Dunne’s Wexford are on the march.

A result that suited both counties: that’s how Antrim boss Kevin Ryan saw this fixture when his team, having been first out of the drum in the draw for the first round of the All-Ireland senior hurling qualifiers, then got Offaly.

The 2010 All-Ireland Champions Tipperary will meet either Kilkenny or Galway in Round 1 of the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Qualifiers.

Munster Council chairman Robert Frost has promised to work closely with his native Clare to alleviate the Banner County’s club fixtures crisis.

Clare Senior Hurlers visited Crumlin Children's Hospital this morning with the Liam MacCarthy Cup ahead of their Homecoming celebrations in Ennis tonight.

Former Cork minor football coach Brian Cuthbert has emerged from a crowded field as favourite for the vacant senior football manager post on Leeside.

The GAA are to honour the 15 outstanding hurlers from the 1980s who were unsuccessful in annexing an All-Ireland winner’s medal.

Westmeath 1-15 London 0-11

GAA President Liam O'Neill has expressed his anger at the ugly scenes which marred the start of last Sunday's All-Ireland SHC semi-final between Tipperary and Kilkenny.

It was the fifth time of asking but, says hard-working Limerick captain David Breen, this All-Ireland senior hurling championship qualifier, played in chilly Semple Stadium on Saturday evening last, was the most relevant of all.

Dual player Eoin Cadogan will aid Cork's drive for their first Munster SFC title in three years after declaring himself available for the final against Clare on July 8.

A feature of this year’s Allianz Hurling League has been the number of exceptionally talented youngsters coming through and having a real impact.

Today is the biggest date in the GAA club calendar, with the All-Ireland senior hurling and football finals being held at Croke Park.

YOU know by now that Donal Óg Cusack is the new Cork senior hurling captain. Of course you do.

AS currently constituted, the All-Ireland senior hurling season is surely the most logically ill-contrived and the most knowingly ill-conceived of all major national sports.

CORK GAA clubs have been given until August 2 to submit proposals as to what process will be used to select the county’s next senior hurling manager.

Cork 2-17 Offaly 2-16

* January 6: Three members of UDR killed by an IRA landmine near Castlewellan, Co Down.

IS NOTHING in hurling beyond the reach of Cha Fitzpatrick?

OVERALL, it was a great year for Irish sport.

CORK hurler Tom Kenny will be eligible to play for Cork in the first game of next year’s championship, despite receiving a four-week ban earlier in the week from the Central Competitions Control Committee (CCCC) last Wednesday.

WITH five minutes to go in Saturday evening’s All-Ireland Senior Hurling qualifier between Limerick and Offaly, the hosts won a free around the middle of the field.

THE draw for the fourth round of the All-Ireland Senior Hurling qualifiers will be televised live on RTÉ on Sunday.

Last year's All-Ireland senior hurling final referee Diarmuid Kirwan has hit out at players and officials for their unfair criticism and abuse of referees, which he has branded as being 'over the top'.

GAA chiefs in Waterford have vowed to recover the €140,000-plus in ticket revenues at the centre of embezzlement allegations, which have prompted the resignation of one long-serving official.

FORMER Clare selector and current Irish Examiner columnist Tony Considine yesterday moved to scotch rumours that he would be involved with the Galway hurlers next year.

LIMERICK have been dealt a blow in advance of Saturday’s All-Ireland senior hurling qualifier against neighbours Clare in Ennis with captain TJ Ryan looking certain to miss the game.

TIPPERARY Football Board chairman Pete Savage has called for the All-Ireland senior hurling and football finals to be played in August to facilitate the club championships.

Whatever way you look at this afternoon's All-Ireland senior hurling final between champions Cork and pretenders to the throne Galway, it seems John Allen's Rebels will come out on top (Croke Park, throw-in 3.30pm).

CLARE manager Anthony Daly, whose sideline ban for the All-Ireland senior hurling semi-final on Sunday week against Cork was lifted yesterday on appeal, has reacted angrily to a newspaper report in Tuesday's Clare People.

NOT all hurlers are choir-boys. Not all sing from the same hymn-sheet.

HE’S principal of Scoil Mhuire, North Mon secondary school in Cork, he also happens to be manager of the Cork senior hurling team, but Donal O’Grady could be a Jesuit.

Offaly 1-18 Limerick 0-14