Kerry manager Peter Keane has included four debutants in his first championship side, which will take on Clare in Cusack Park in tomorrow night’s Munster SFC semi-final (7pm).

Former Clare manager Ger O’Loughlin believes opponents’ unfamiliarity with championship fervour in Ennis has helped turn Cusack Park into a fortress.

Lehane limped off injured against Limerick last Sunday week while Spillane’s back issue has kept him out of action in Cork’s first two championship games.

The Shannonsiders were overturned by Cork in their opening game in the Gaelic Grounds after winning both of their home games in Munster last year.

Cork manager John Meyler says his attentions are already firmly fixed on their Munster championship opener against Tipperary in May, as they look to win their first All-Ireland since 2005.

Happy New Year to one and all and we bring you some good cheer with the news that Davy Fitzgerald and John Mullane recently made their peace.

The redevelopment of Walsh Park remains the only show in town, a point that Waterford County Board chairman Paddy Joe Ryan reiterated at last night’s annual convention in Dungarvan.

Former Wexford and Kildare manager Jason Ryan will provide a helping hand to the Cork footballers in 2019 — though he won’t be a formal part of Ronan McCarthy’s management team.

Cork manager Ronan McCarthy has described Colm O’Neill, who yesterday announced his retirement from inter-county football, as “one of the greatest forwards” Cork ever produced.

Tipperary would not accede to a Cork request to put back tomorrow’s Munster U21 hurling final by 24 hours.

Michael Moynihan considers the positives and negatives of the new look provincial hurling championships

Shortly after my wife and I took up a pair of seats about four rows from the back of the covered stand in Cusack Park last Sunday, I could hear a young fella behind me asking his father: Is that Tony Browne?

Two time All Ireland winner Jamesie O'Connor says Tipperary have their backs to the wall heading into next weekend's Munster Championship clash with Cork.

I was in the RTÉ radio booth in the cockpit of the Kinnane Stand yesterday, when the fourth official signalled there would be just one minute of injury-time.

Limerick centre-back Gavin O’Mahony blasted the sending off of team-mate Seanie Tobin, claiming that players expect contact when a substitute is introduced.

The first half at Semple Stadium didn’t provide a great deal of entertainment, although the second was a distinct improvement.

Davy Fitzgerald was oh so careful with his words.

Clare 2-15 Limerick 1-19: The margins were fine in Thurles even if the hurling wasn’t.

The criticism in the wake of Limerick’s most disappointing league campaign wasn’t for the faint-hearted.

There was a stormy confrontation outside the referees’ room in Semple Stadium yesterday with Clare management confronting Munster Council officials seeking an explanation for the amount of injury time played at the end of yesterday’s Clare-Limerick Munster Championship game.

When the guns fell silent yesterday in Thurles, TJ Ryan hit the fourth estate with the perfect exit line: “I’d say ye’ll be writing deep into the night, lads.”