Our writers analyse what we learned from the league...

The bullish chap that he is, Seán Powter has no hesitation in proclaiming that promotion from Division 2 is the short-term goal for Cork footballers this year.

Mayo 1-21 IT Sligo 1-15: Late points from three players ‘on trial’ with Mayo this month carried the beaten All-Ireland finalists to their first win of the new season in Ballina yesterday.

Waterford’s pre-eminent football clubs have always been viewed in a different light to the county’s flagship side.

Davy Fitzgerald has admitted that his Clare hurlers may have peaked too early during this year’s Allianz National Hurling League campaign.

Some of Mayo’s biggest names face a race against time to be fit for Sunday’s Connacht SFC quarter-final against London in Ruislip.

Limerick SHC wrap

Limerick’s All-Ireland U21-winning half-back Gearóid Hegarty has expressed his desire to play both hurling and football for the county at senior level.

The Central Hearings Committee (CHC) face a busy schedule in Croke Park this and tomorrow evening as they address challenges to the proposed bans for Tiernan McCann and two players arising from last month’s Dublin-Armagh challenge game.

Stephen O’Brien replaces Johnny Buckley in the only change to the Kerry side for Sunday’s All-Ireland SFC quarter-final with Kildare in Croke Park (2pm).

The all-too-familiar criticism surrounding Cork hurling’s underage plight was yet again dragged front and centre in the wake of the county’s Munster semi-final defeat to Waterford earlier this month.

A host of teammates and competitors have praised Armagh’s Aaron Kernan after the player announced his retirement from inter-county football.

Six-time All-Ireland winning minor hurling boss Mattie Murphy has joined the managerial ticket seeking to replace outgoing Galway senior manager Anthony Cunningham.

It’s a tragedy O’Grady never really got the time and space he needed in a management job

Highlights include She's the Business, a documentary on female Irish entrepreneurs.

Tony Browne is happy to contribute in any way possible to a Waterford hurling team in deep transition.

Tipperary GAA officials last night revealed an alarming deficit of almost €250,000 for the 2012 financial year.

Dublin football fans got their wish last night with confirmation that highly rated underage guru Jim Gavin will take charge of the senior team.

Seamus Moynihan has confirmed he won’t be part of Eamonn Fitzmaurice’s Kerry management team next year.

Changed and exciting times in Limerick.

Stephen McDonnell and Eoin Cadogan have been brought back into the Cork defence by manager Jimmy Barry-Murphy for Sunday’s Division 1A hurling league tie against Kilkenny in Páirc Uí Chaoimh, as his team attempts to bounce back from last Sunday’s defeat to Galway.

Corkman Peter Creedon is expected to be ratified as the new Tipperary senior football manager next week, replacing John Evans.

Donegal star Michael Murphy celebrated his return to football in 2012 with an injury-time free in DCU’s emphatic Sigerson Cup semi-final victory at NUI Galway Sportsground in Dangan yesterday.

DERRY

FORMER Galway boss Liam Sammon will be part of a five-man committee to interview candidates to take over the Tribesmen from Tomás Ó Flatharta.

CAVAN referee Joe McQuillan will take charge of his first All-Ireland final when Kerry and Dublin duel on September 18.

DONEGAL footballer Patrick McBrearty swapped the kitbag for the schoolbag yesterday as the 18-year old returned to school to begin his Leaving Certificate year.

HOW quickly the world can be turned on its head!

CORK hurling boss Denis Walsh last night handed out three full championship debuts for Sunday’s Munster quarter-final against Tipperary in Semple Stadium.

WATCHING Kerry and Galway from the terraces in Killarney last Sunday wouldn’t have been anyone’s idea of an afternoon’s entertainment.

JACK O’CONNOR has moved 2009 All-Ireland winning captain Darran O’Sullivan from his customary forward role to left-half back for tomorrow’s McGrath Cup opener against Tralee IT.

KERRY boss Jack O’Connor last night refused to commit to staying on in charge of the Kingdom’s footballers and instead revealed he will take time to reflect on his future.

IT was a pairing that was bound to stir up a well of personal emotions but despite 17 championship seasons of service to the Clare senior hurlers, Davy Fitzgerald was focused on his current role as Waterford manager in yesterday’s Munster SHC semi-final in Semple Stadium.

LAST year’s beaten finalists Waterford held off a spirited Clare fightback to book their place in the Munster intermediate hurling championship final on July 22.

THE LIMERICK hurling stand-off took another twist yesterday with the withdrawal of goalkeeper Timmy Houlihan from the Shannonsiders’ 2010 National Hurling League panel.

PATRICK CRONIN is set to miss Cork’s entire National Hurling League campaign after suffering a serious knee injury. Cronin will be out of action for a minimum period of three months but it is hoped he may be able to make a return before Cork’s Munster SHC opener against Tipperary in Páirc Ui Chaoimh on May 31.

All-Ireland winner Niall Gilligan has turned down an initial approach to link up with the Clare senior hurling panel for the 2010 campaign.

NEW Clare senior hurling manager Ger ‘Sparrow’ O’Loughlin has appointed Danny Chaplin as a selector.

Conor Gormley hasn’t forgotten the hammering his Tyrone side got from Cork when the sides last met, writes Brendan O’Brien