The showpiece match of the season takes place this weekend as the Munster Junior Cup final pits the dominant junior club of the season, Clonmel, with the top seconds of a senior club, Shannon, at Thomond Park on Sunday (5pm).

The Clare hurlers’ bachelor mission to the Mexican resort of Cancun is a man down yesterday after captain Pat Donnellan confirmed he popped the question to Limerick girl Edel Leahy.

Late August 1997 and Ger Loughnane is talking about life, the universe and hurling in a hotel in Ennis.

Now that the greatest series, in living memory, of the All- Ireland hurling championship has just concluded, it would be reasonable to expect that the main protagonists would come in for unqualified praise. Not so, however.

Ardscoil Rís go in search of a rare Avonmore Supermilk Munster Schools Junior Cup title when they take on specialists Christian Brothers College, Cork, in an eagerly-awaited decider at Musgrave Park today (3pm).

THEIR song provided the background music to Tipperary’s All Ireland hurling final triumph last year and now they’re back with a new track to support their county’s push to retain the McCarthy Cup.

THE Junior Interprovincial series begins this evening in Charleville with the clash of Munster and Leinster.

SHANE MCGRATH insists Tipperary are better equipped to retain their All-Ireland hurling crown than the team that captured the title in 2001.

JOE DOOLEY believes Ireland will carry vital momentum into the hurling/shinty series decider following Saturday's storming first Test at Croke Park.

I WAS in Ciss Ryan’s fabled pub in Garrykennedy three years ago on a special celebratory evening.

Tipperary 4-17 Kilkenny 1-18

LEAGUE champions Galway have suffered a major blow ahead of the hurling championship with the confirmation experienced defender Fergal Moore has been ruled out for the season.

GAA PRESIDENT Christy Cooney has vowed the Carlow hurlers will be competing in the Liam MacCarthy Cup next summer.

MORE matches, less training, and more marketing of games: that’s the plea from Limerick’s Niall Moran to GAA authorities ahead of tomorrow’s Munster championship clash with Waterford.

Cork GAA chairman Jerry O'Sullivan urged the striking Cork senior hurlers to return to action by issuing an open letter to the 2008 squad on Wednesday night.

ON MY way to Croke Park yesterday I met Michael Bond; we all know what Michael did with Offaly in 1998.

BEING taken to watch Waterford play Kilkenny in the All-Ireland hurling final of 1963 was a dream come true for a seven-year-old boy from Cappoquin.

LAOIS 4-18 CARLOW 3-11

IN A FORTNIGHT when we had fantastic games of hurling and football all the publicity for the GAA should have been positive, as our players served up many matches of great skill and sportsmanship.

HURLING was in short supply on a football weekend at Croke Park but the brilliance of Keith Raymond did the small game’s stock no harm as Sligo claimed Nicky Rackard Cup honours.

The Gaelic Players Association has launched a new program to develop the game of hurling in weaker counties.

The President of the GAA, Mr Nickey Brennan has extended his deepest sympathies and those of the Association to the family of former Tipperary All-Ireland hurling medal winner Pat Stakelum.

TAOISEACH Bertie Ahern found himself in the middle of a plot when visited the National Ploughing Championships at Annaharvey yesterday — but it had nothing to do with politics.

Usually the rest of us are

LIMERICK’S best known Dublin-based fan, Charlie Chawke is in for a mouth-watering mix of soccer and hurling this weekend — and has promised his native team a special trip if they are victorious.

Cork manager John Allen expects the majority of his players to return for the 2007 season, but whether the St. Finbarr's clubman will be in charge of the Rebels next year is another matter.

THE glamour of inter-county hurling competition should not disguise the fact that the GAA must properly cater for club players.

THE GAA's Head of Games, Pat Daly has called for a revolutionary restructuring of the All-Ireland Championships and National Leagues, while also calling for Dublin to be represented by four senior teams.

A TOP GAA official is warning that the growth in alcohol consumption and substance abuse amongst young people could have serious consequences for clubs and even for the games themselves.

THE GAA’s National Hurling Development Plan, unveiled at Croke Park yesterday, will invest €2.6m into coaching and games initiatives.

Offaly 5-17 Antrim 0-18

Diarmuid O’Flynn interviews Billy Byrne and Eddie O’Connor.

ALL-IRELAND winning manager Liam Griffin believes the new championship format has been a tremendous success.

THE Cats will bid for the county’s third All-Ireland senior hurling title in a row on Sunday, nourished by milk from the family farms of two Cork players.

IT was Kevin Heffernan and Mick O’Dwyer who ushered in the era of the manager as we know it today.

THE largest gathering of winning All-Ireland hurling final captains will convene in Ballygarvan, Co Cork, tomorrow, when the GAA will honour all of the survivors in a fitting manner.

FORMER All-Ireland SHC winning captains will be presented with magnificent Waterford Crystal replicas of the Liam McCarthy Cup at a function next month.

NO ifs, buts, or excuses from Waterford, with the dressing room remained shut for almost half an hour after the game.

GALWAY legend Joe Connolly has been busily spreading the gospel of hurling.

Former All-Ireland winning hurling skipper Andy Comerford is set to regain his captain's armband, according to speculation in Kilkenny.

WITH the majority of clubs on a break from competitive action, before next week’s opening games in the Heineken Munster Junior Cup, the main action is in the lower grades this weekend.