The game was suddenly thrust into the spotlight following a controversial decision by the National League to play when the rest of the world was announcing postponements because of the coronavirus.

Clare maintained their unbeaten National League run with an impressive nine-point win over Dublin that secured them top spot in Division 1B and with it, a place in the semi-final of the competition they last won in 2016.

They join Bohemians and Athlone Town in being accepted to an expanded nine-team top tier for 2020.

There was a mix of driving rain and wind as well as thunder and lightning in Ennis but it couldn’t prevent Clare from picking up where they left off against Wexford for a routine win that keeps up their 100% record in this year’s National League.

Gore, who started the opening-round win over Offaly but had to retire injured at half-time in that game, is back in at number 13 with Michael Hurley dropping to the substitutes’ bench.

Seán’s involvement with Galway’s senior footballers brings more than a smile to the people of Inis Mór.

This wasn’t the first time that Seamus ‘Banty’ McEnaney managed a Monaghan win over Tyrone, but what’s rare is precious as he allowed a small smile play on his lips after this most commanding of wins. “It’s my second,” he told reporters.

Clare dug deep to claim their first win of the National League campaign with a deserved one-point success over 14-man Kildare in Ennis.

GIVEN that the issue is largely to do with the men in the middle and how they apply — or not — the rules of the game, let’s start with a former All-Ireland referee.

Promotion or relegation matters are never decided on the first weekend in February, but at the same time a sneak preview of the way things might pan out over the course of the seven-match campaign can loom very large.

It’s not that Clare’s opening salvo in this year’s National League was a box-ticking exercise, but as soon as the final whistle sounded to signal this facile 16-point victory it’s safe to say that everyone of a saffron and blue hue was moving towards next Sunday’s mouth-watering clash with Wexford.

This was a canter for Galway as Shane O’Neill picked up a convincing victory in his first National League game as manager, although playing against Westmeath’s 14 men for all of the second half softened his side’s route to victory at Pearse Stadium.

As expected Clare opened their National League campaign under new manager Brian Lohan in impressive fashion as they eased to a comprehensive 16-point victory over Colm Bonnar’s Carlow in Ennis.

Former All-Ireland winning Cork captain Mark Landers wants the Rebels to take the Allianz Hurling League seriously but also accepts it’s the perfect opportunity to blood players who have flown under the radar.

Ulster GAA secretary Brian McAvoy has warned against tinkering with the senior provincial football championships in his annual report.

Offaly set up an O’Byrne Cup final clash with Longford next weekend, their victory sealed by two late points from substitute Cian Farrell.

Back in October, on Global Mental Health Awareness Day, Shane Carthy spoke at the Zeminar event in Dublin about his ‘crippling and at times terrifying’ battle with depression.

THE newly-elected Mayo GAA Board chairman Liam Moffatt says that ‘building trust in the County Board’ will be one of his key objectives.

McDonald will work closely with coach James Burke to "support the development of the players in a football context".

If Stephen Cluxton follows Jim Gavin into retirement, all bets are off for 2020, writes Éamonn Fitzmaurice.

The former Dublin forward managed his county 48 times in the Championship and a further 59 times in the National League, bringing his grand total to 107.

Dublin’s bid for a record 10 Leinster football titles on the trot will begin in Tullamore next May.

Six-time All-Ireland winner Paul Flynn has admitted that quitting Dublin and stepping away from inter-county football isn’t an easy thing to do.

Former Limerick All-Star Seamus Hickey has claimed it was ‘short-sighted’ of the GAA not to have seriously considered introducing video technology to assist referees. Hickey’s Limerick were on the wrong end of arguably the biggest mistake all season when a ‘65 to potentially level their All-Ireland semi-final against Kilkenny wasn’t awarded.

From having three candidates for the senior hurling manager’s position last week, Galway GAA may have none by this weekend after Tony Ward removed himself from the race.

Not that Paul O’Donovan is suffering déjà vu, but he feels the same quiet confidence about his Nemo Rangers side going into today’s quarter-final with champions St Finbarr’s as he did 12 months ago.

John Kiely has been given a two-year extension as manager of the Limerick senior hurling team.

Moments after Kilkenny had accounted for a gallant but tiring Tipperary with a late rush of scores, Ann Downey was enjoying the luxury of looking forward to watching the second Liberty Insurance All-Ireland Senior Camogie Championship semi-final between Cork and Galway.

St Louis Cardinals trounced the Reds 13-4 in Cincinnati in a result which, combined with the Cubs losing, leaves them top of the National League Central.

Jim Gavin regards Dublin’s All-Ireland final opponents Kerry as a team of the now, not the future.

Ten years ago the Late Late Show did a special edition marking 125 years of the GAA. It was presented by Pat Kenny. The expectations of most GAA folk were not high beforehand. The expectations were justified.

As the dust settles on Cork’s 2019 season, there’s no doubt that it’s been one of regression.

GAA president John Horan insists that a Cork double-bill in Croke Park was not feasible this weekend.

There was always an understanding, an acceptance even, that if Wexford were going to win a first Leinster senior hurling title in 15 years on Sunday afternoon then they would have to do it the hard way.

The Leinster Council is confident the attendance at Sunday’s provincial hurling final will surpass the crowd of 47,000 which endured last Sunday’s one-sided Leinster football decider.

For just the second time in the 19-year history of the qualifiers, Offaly have put together back-to-back wins and reached the third-round qualifier pot, where they will be the only team of the eight who will play their football outside the top two divisions of the National League in 2020.

It was a tough time for everyone involved in Wexford camogie in the spring, as the Seniors began the National League without a manager and unable to field a team.

Kilkenny turned around their National League final reverse at the hands of Galway coming out two-point winners in their championship opener today.

Paul Keane in preview box Andy McEntee is a manager on the up, on the verge of elevating Meath to a first Leinster final in five years, having already masterminded a return to Division 1 in the Allianz league.

Fifa are believed to have underlined the importance they attach to the autonomy of their member associations in their discussions with Sport Ireland yesterday.

Such was the good form of Donal Moloney at the finish that the Clare joint-manager even had time for a parting joke.

They once were kings, these two houses both alike in dignity. They had heavy artillery and high explosive and machine guns and sniper rifles and famous generals and crack marksmen and plentiful reserves.

Former Offaly hurler Brian Carroll insists the same rules should apply to Munster as they do to Leinster and relegation has to be a factor.

Former Mayo captain Cillian O’Connor made his first appearance in almost five months when he lined out for Ballintubber in the first round of the Mayo SFC on Saturday evening.