Just days after leading the club to an eighth All-Ireland title, he informed a player meeting of his plans, citing family and work commitments.

There may be more vivid incarnations of optimism than a ticket tout prowling Gill’s Corner and environs for spare tickets ahead of the All-Ireland club final, but none come immediately to mind.

Henry Shefflin paid tribute to his players for holding off Borris-Ileigh’s late surge in yesterday’s All-Ireland club final.

There may be more vivid incarnations of optimism than a ticket tout prowling Gill’s Corner and environs for spare tickets ahead of the All-Ireland club final, but none come immediately to mind.

Ballyhale Shamrocks manager Henry Shefflin paid tribute to the late Eugene Aylward in the aftermath of his side’s win in the All-Ireland club hurling championship today.

With a second successive title, Ballyhale Shamrocks made it a clean sweep of All-Ireland club titles for Kilkenny this weekend despite some heroics from Borris-Ileigh’s Jerry Kelly and Brendan Maher.

This bus, if anything could capture the essence of Ballyhale Shamrocks, must be the vehicle.

John Fogarty previews the weekend's GAA fixtures.

Recently retired Waterford defender Philip Mahony has explained he could no longer devote himself to inter-county hurling because of the demands involved.

Both of Sunday’s All-Ireland senior club finals in Croke Park will be refereed by Corkmen.

Last weekend, Slaughtneil and Tooreen, those oases in the hurling wastelands of Derry and Mayo, emerged from the shadows and into the limelight

Ballyhale Shamrocks captain Michael Fennelly has added his voice to the criticism of the condensed club calendar, bemoaning that Christmas was “cancelled” as the prepared for Sunday’s All-Ireland semi-final win over Slaughtneil.

Conor Kenny believes the underdog tag suits Borris-Ileigh.

The Intermediate and Junior Football semi-finals take place this Saturday, with Kerry and Monaghan represented in both grades.

Borris-Ileigh manager Johnny Kelly hailed the character of his young team as they overcame their nerves to see off St Thomas’ in style.

Every semi-final ever played has a double life.

An hour after the game, and anybody from Ulster who has a passion for hurling is still swamping Ballyhale Shamrocks manager Henry Shefflin, queuing for selfies, presenting hurls and jerseys for his signature.

Ahead of today's All-Ireland club semi-final at LIT Gaelic Grounds, PM O'Sullivan travelled to Borrisoleigh and 'lovely fair Ileigh' to find out what makes Tipperary's champions tick.

It’s a career that has produced five All-Ireland titles between club and county but Joey Holden would be the first to admit it hasn’t run smoothly.

Chrissy McKaigue has said Slaughtneil are determined to make their mark beyond Ulster though acknowledged the draw for the All-Ireland series has been consistently cruel on them.

St Thomas’s Kenneth Burke has predicted his cousin Fintan Burke will be the next family member to break into the Galway set-up after his recovery from a knee injury.

TG4 has announced details of 52 GAA games they will cover in early 2020, including 30 Allianz League matches.

Nemo Rangers' All-Ireland senior club football semi-final against three-in-a-row seeking Corofin has been fixed for Ennis' Cusack Park on Saturday, January 4.

Reid was given little space or respite by St Mullins’ Michael Walsh in the provincial decider in Portlaoise on Sunday.

Few counties have as little time for romance as Kilkenny and their county champions duly put paid to the fairytale run of St Mullins in this AIB Leinster senior club hurling decider in Portlaoise on Sunday afternoon.

Does tomorrow’s Leinster final between Ballyhale Shamrocks and Naomh Moling count as a local derby?

John Fogarty previews the weekend's GAA fixtures.

Seamus Murphy reckons St Mullins colleagues Marty Kavanagh and James Doyle would “walk onto every club in Kilkenny”.

Growing up, the only county games Marty Kavanagh went to were Kilkenny games and he was typically there for one reason, to watch Henry Shefflin.

Tipperary manager Liam Sheedy and former Cork boss John Meyler are set to lead the PwC All-Star 2019 and 2018 hurling teams when they head out to Abu Dhabi tomorrow.

When St Mullins outfought Rathdowney-Errill to reach the AIB Leinster club final, they won by the exact same 2-17 to 1-19 scoreline as in the county final.

The jubilant St Mullins hurlers gathered in midfield and belted out a lusty version of 'When the Saints Go Marching In' after they had edged out Rathdowney Errill of Laois in one of the outstanding hurling games of the year at Netwatch Culllen Park.

Already trailing heavily with just 10 minutes on the clock at UPMC Nowlan Park, St Martin’s midfielder Aaron Maddock found himself hurley-less, surrounded and under pressure out on the left wing.

A few days before the All-Ireland hurling final, the Tipperary supporters club placed on record their praise for the ‘27-man support structure’ and ‘army of experts’ assembled by Liam Sheedy.

“I’m enjoying the craic massively,” Michael Carroll begins.

Fintan Burke looks set to follow his cousin David Burke into the Galway senior team and the strength and resilience he will bring has been illustrated by his remarkable recovery from a cruciate injury on St Patrick’s Day to help inspire St Thomas’ to their third county title in four years on Sunday.

There is something wonderful about a senior county final. Good weather day, bad weather day, any type of day. The whole occasion is so intimate.

All-Ireland champions Ballyhale Shamrocks had to work hard to dispose of a gutsy Clonkill side in today's Leinster Club SHC quarter-final in Mullingar.

Ballyhale Shamrocks manager Henry Shefflin remembered the late Eugene Aylward after yesterday’s county final win — Shamrocks panellist Aylward passed away a few weeks ago and captain Michael Fennelly dedicated the title win to him.

Experienced Ballyhale Shamrocks made it a 17th senior county title in Kilkenny yesterday, throttling a game James Stephens outfit and running out easy winners in the end.

Winner of eight All-Ireland medals, part of a famed hurling dynasty, Eoin Larkin has been one of the finest forwards of his generation. He spoke with PM O'Sullivan.

A superb solo individual performance from TJ Reid helped champions Ballyhale Shamrocks shake off a serious test to their Kilkenny senior hurling crown.

A five-star first-half performance saw Ballyhale Shamrocks blast their way out of relegation trouble in the Kilkenny senior hurling championship.