Kerry footballer Brendan O'Sullivan failed a doping control test following the Allianz league final of 2016.

Two exiles in Kilkenny, former Cork and Tipperary seniors, watched Sunday’s Munster championship opener.

David ‘Dotsy’ O’Callaghan has confirmed his return to the Dublin senior hurling panel after a serious back injury threatened to end his inter-county career.

Had his life taken a different path then Pádraig O’Connor might have been preparing with the Kerry squad for Sunday’s Allianz Football League Division 1 final against Dublin.

Kildare will be without team captain Eoin Doyle and Daniel Flynn for their Leinster championship opener against Wexford tomorrow week, while Niall Kelly faces a race against time to be fit.

Disappointment was the first word he used and it was as good as any to articulate the depth of frustration felt by Brian Cuthbert and his Cork players after yesterday’s 32-score Munster final in Killarney.

Pat Flanagan had no intention of turning his back on Sligo after one year at the helm but when his native county came calling, the emotional tug proved impossible to ignore.

After clocking his fastest ever time at the Isle of Man TT, a BBC reporter conducted an interview with the late Joey Dunlop.

Work-rate and quality of Limerick’s delivery will dictate their chances

Kevin O'Brien is named to start this Sunday's Allianz Football League Division 1 Final for Dublin against Tyrone, after having his three-match suspension for alleged biting overturned last night.

It’s his tenth season on the Cork senior hurling panel and Tom Kenny is always willing to share his experience with younger teammates.

Jimmy Barry-Murphy was taking the positives from yesterday’s defeat by Tipperary, pointing to his side’s lack of experience as a factor in Cork’s one-point defeat.

We may know Andy Moran as the Mayo forward, All Star winner, and engaging inter-county footballer, but there is another side to the man who has been handpicked by James Horan to lead the Connacht champions into battle this summer.

Down and Wicklow booked Christy Ring Cup semi-final berths, while Derry and London, and Meath and Kildare will contest quarter-final ties next weekend.

In this year’s league Kilkenny used their A game against Tipperary in round one, against Galway in round 5 but crucially they didn’t use it in Cork for their round 4 encounter.

Business as usual for Brian Cody. For the seventh time in 10 years, he will conclude a spring campaign by contesting a league decider as yesterday’s victory over Clare secured their berth in the 2012 final.

Dublin 2-10 Down 0-13

ONWARDS and upwards!

ALL-IRELAND winning boss Brian Cody has described the current turmoil surrounding the Liam MacCarthy Cup relegation battle as ‘unfortunate’ and has warned that demoting a top-flight hurling county will not benefit anyone.

FOR THOSE who still don’t understand the difference between a manager and a coach, take a look at the challenge facing Anthony Daly on Sunday.

Talk of Kerry’s demise is premature, believes Kingdom coach Jack O’Connor. He spoke to Jim O’Sullivan.

YOUNG Footballer of the Year Killian Young could have another title before his name tomorrow evening.

THE Kerry County Board has ruled out a toss to decide the venue for their Allianz NFL final with Derry the weekend after next, almost certainly on Saturday, to avoid a clash with Munster’s Heineken Cup semi-final the following day.

IT’S been an encouraging few weeks for Waterford hurling. De La Salle college from the city annexed its second Harty Cup title in a row last weekend while the week before saw Waterford Institute of Technology serve up a game for the ages, beating Limerick Institute of Technology in the Fitzgibbon Cup final.

THE combination of dual involvement at club level and the pressure of being favourites almost cost Cork their TG4 All-Ireland Ladies Football senior title, according to team coach Eamonn Ryan.

IF YOU needed proof of how important the NHL is to some teams, tomorrow is the perfect opportunity.

LADIES football All-Ireland final day may have to be staged outside of Croke Park if attendances do not increase by at least 50%.

Jim O’Sullivan

THE way Brian Cody talks about his team in advance of Sunday’s Guinness All-Ireland hurling semi-final against Galway, Kilkenny fans should not be expecting a performance smelling of roses.

IN the lead-up to a major championship game, imagine what it must be like to be in the heartland of the enemy.

Allstar and Player of the Year accolades have done little to satisfy Mattie Forde’s desire for success. He spoke to Colm O’Connor.

THESE are tense times for Clare manager Anthony Daly.

Diarmuid O’Flynn

ANTHONY DALY was trying hard to be positive.

ANTHONY DALY had to satisfy himself that he would be able to make any hard calls in relation to his former playing colleagues before he could take on the job of managing Clare hurlers two years ago.

BRIAN CODY aims to “freshen things up” with the appointment of two new members to the Kilkenny senior hurling management team.

WHO’S sorry now? Last year, the Galway County Board turned down the option of playing in this season’s Leinster SHC.

EVERYBODY remembers the controversy that flared near the end of last year after Páidí Ó Sé was replaced as Kerry manager.

CORK supporters can expect a decent challenge from Billy Morgan’s team when they face holders Kerry in the Bank of Ireland Munster SFC semi-final in Fitzgerald Stadium tomorrow (2.15).

DIARMUID MURPHY has taken an unusual route to become Kerry’s first choice goalkeeper.

Paul Galvin isn’t the first tough-tackling Kerry forward, but he’s an exception to the rule of thumb for Kingdom attackers. And that’s the way he likes it. Tony Leen reports.