I was driving home from an underage coaching day in Kilmacud Crokes in Dublin last Saturday when a friend texted me. “Some Walsh Cup final in Nowlan Park,” he said. “It sounds like an epic.”

Wexford manager Davy Fitzgerald said he is “shocked” and “disappointed” at Brian Cody’s insinuation that one of his players tried to influence the referee to get Kilkenny players sent off in Saturday’s Bord na Móna Walsh Cup final.

John Meyler would prefer if Cork’s Allianz Division 1A opener against Kilkenny was played on Sunday afternoon and not on Saturday night.

Walsh Cup final: Wexford 1-24 Kilkenny 1-24 (After extra-time: Wexford win 3-2 after free-taking competition): There was silverware to show for their efforts, but Wexford manager Davy Fitzgerald sounded a note of caution after Saturday’s dramatic Walsh Cup final win over Kilkenny.

Dublin 0-26 Galway 2-14

Peter McNamara looks some of the likely talking points this weekend in the Allianz Hurling League.

Dublin boss Ger Cunningham says Kilkenny’s swathe of retirements have given their competitors in Leinster cause for optimism. The decisions by Tommy Walsh, JJ Delaney, Brian Hogan, David Herity and Aidan Fogarty to step aside means the Cats won’t be as intimidating, believes the Cork native.

Dublin and Galway advanced to next Saturday’s Bord na Móna Walsh Cup Final at Croke Park (5pm), following wins over Laois and Carlow respectively this afternoon.

Niall Corcoran says he and the rest of the Dublin hurlers have pledged their disastrous 2012 season will never be repeated.

Dublin manager Anthony Daly is thankful that his troops only have a week to wait to get yesterday's drubbing by Galway out of their system.

This being day one and all, it was hardly surprising both Anthonys played down the significance of yesterday’s lopsided scoreline in Pearse Stadium.

ALLIANZ HL DIVISION 1A:

New Leinster Council chairman John Horan admits it was a ‘no brainer’ to move the Walsh Cup hurling final to Croke Park this evening.

Lee Chin made a desperate dash back to Wexford for the Walsh Cup final following the postponement of yesterday’s Allianz League clash with Armagh.

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.

On the field, Kilkenny senior hurling captain Eoin Larkin leads by example. When the need is greatest, that’s when Eoin is most prominent and time and again throughout a glistening career we’ve seen that.

Having last year won their first senior hurling national title of any description since 1939, Dublin open this year’s league campaign against Galway in Pearse Stadium on Sunday next in the unfamiliar role of defending champions.

Allianz Football League Division 2: Galway 1-8 Louth 0-11

Joe Canning fired Galway into the Walsh Cup final and past a lacklustre Laois in a sodden Duggan Park in Ballinasloe yesterday.

Kilkenny and Galway will contest the Bord na Mona Walsh Cup final after semi-final wins over Westmeath and Laois respectively this afternoon, while Offaly claimed Walsh Shield honours.

The much-anticipated Allianz Hurling League Division 1 final between Kilkenny and Dublin will be held at Croke Park on Sunday, May 1, it has been confirmed.

TODAY’S column was going to be about the structure of the Allianz Hurling League, about whether Wexford, who next year will almost certainly be plying their trade in Division Two for the third season in four, are entitled to feel hard done by and whether aspiring teams like Carlow, doing their best where they are but with no serious hope of reaching the top flight, have any real incentive for self-improvement.

TO BEGIN with today, two questions. Just to make it easier, the answer to each is the same.

EVEN the second-half introduction of some of the heavy artillery failed to help Kilkenny outgun Dublin in a cracking Walsh Cup final at Parnell Park yesterday.

WHETHER as player or manager, there was never a more proud or more fiercely competitive individual on a hurling field than Brian Cody.

Martin Quilty who comes in at left back for his debut in the Walsh Cup final on Sunday against Kilkenny on Sunday.

DUBLIN look set to appeal Saturday evening’s red card that sidelines midfielder Johnny McCaffrey for at least two vital Allianz hurling league ties.

Dublin 1-20 Galway 3-13

Fresh from their Walsh Cup final disappointment, Dublin will field a very experienced team for their NHL Division 1 opener against Waterford at Walsh Park (throw-in 2.30pm) on Sunday.

Galway manager John McIntyre will hand five players their National Hurling League debuts when the Tribesmen take on a depleted Limerick side on Sunday in Kilmallock (throw-in 2.30pm).

Former captain David Collins is set to return for the Galway hurlers in Sunday's Walsh Cup final against Dublin (Parnell Park, throw-in 12.45pm), over two years after his last appearance for the Tribesmen.

HOW do you beat Kilkenny? How do you overcome them in Leinster especially, where they’ve lost only once since 1997 – caught by a last-minute goal by Wexford in 2004? How do you sour the cream for the Cats?

FOLLOWING the fireworks in Croke Park on Saturday night, an occasion chosen by the GAA to mark the opening of its 125th year celebrations, Kilkenny and Galway served notice yesterday that hurling too is ready to play its part in what could yet be a really special year for the GAA.

TYRONE manager Mickey Harte introduces one newcomer for tomorrow’s floodlit NFL opener against Dublin at Croke Park.

Antrim manager Jody Gormley has named an unchanged team for Saturday's NFL Division 4 showdown between the Saffrons and Offaly at Casement Park (throw-in 7pm).

This Sunday's Walsh Cup final between Ulster champions Antrim and Offaly will now throw in at 1pm at Casement Park.

Walsh Cup semi-final round-up results.

Wexford 1-12 Clare 1-10

Stephen Nolan will line out at midfield in the Wexford team on Sunday as the Model men clash with Clare in NHL Division 1A (Cusack Park, throw-in 2.30pm).

Wexford will be without wing back Diarmuid Lyng for next Sunday's Walsh Cup final against Kilkenny, and a good chunk of the remainder of the National League.

Kilkenny boss Brian Cody has rubbished the notion that Sunday's National Hurling League opener against Dublin (Parnell Park, throw-in 2.30pm) will be a cake-walk for his side.

Wexford manager Seamus Murphy has included three league debutants in his side for Sunday’s NHL Division 1A trip to Waterford.