Anyone present at Páirc Uí Rinn on April 22 wouldn’t have been including St Finbarr’s in their list of contenders for the Andy Scannell Cup.

St Finbarr’s 2-15 Newcestown 1-15: An extra-time surge from St Finbarr’s, having sneaked a draw at the end of 60 minutes, propelled them into Round 2A of the Cork SHC at Newcestown’s expense in Brinny yesterday.

For St Finbarr’s, hope comes through the bloom of youth.

Blackrock take on St Finbarr’s tomorrow in the second round of the Cork senior hurling championship, but whereas 30 years ago that was a county final pairing, this season both clubs are struggling.

Irn-Bru maker AG Barr said today its sales had fallen flat amid a competitive and volatile market.

BALLYHEA

A team from the North Monastery in Cork contests the Harty Cup quarter-final against Thurles CBS.

Cork GAA secretary Frank Murphy has expressed concern about the scheduling of county league fixtures, especially in the latter stages of the season.

Drinks brands Lucozade and Ribena were today reported to be a £1bn takeover target for the owner of Irn-Bru.

Drinks brands Robinsons squash and Irn-Bru are to be poured into the same company after their makers unveiled a £1.4bn (€1.75bn) merger deal today.

Attempting to scratch their senior itch has become an annual challenge for St Vincent’s.

Irn-Bru maker AG Barr reported a 13% leap in annual profits today after a sparkling performance in the UK soft drinks market.

GLEN ROVERS will meet Na Piarsaigh in the final of the city division U21 hurling final after they beat St Finbarr’s in extra time at Ballinlough yesterday.

The FTSE 100 Index saw a nervous start to the week today as worries over Greece's ability to repay its debts ensured a jittery session.

TWENTY-FOUR years is a long time to wait for an appearance in a county senior football final in any man’s language.

IN early 1977, near where Duhallow and East Kerry are split by the River Blackwater, a small hostelry hosted a low-key meeting with grand ambitions.

The Barr Report into the fatal shooting of John Carthy in Abbeylara six years ago has found that the 27-year-old did not intend to be shot by gardaí when he left his house.

Irn-Bru and Tizer maker AG Barr today said it expected its full year results to be in line with market expectations despite rising costs and a “weakness” in the soft drinks market.

Irn Bru-to-Tizer company AG Barr lifted underlying half-year profits today, despite a “sluggish” market for the carbonated drinks sector.

A £1.5bn (€2.2bn) bidding war for Warner Chilcott loomed today after the Northern Ireland-based pharmaceuticals group revealed a second takeover approach.

Northern-based drugmaker Galen Holdings has bought an exclusive licence for a generic version of its Ovcon 35 oral contraceptive from Barr Pharmaceuticals.

Northern pharmaceutical company Galen Holdings has said it bought an exclusive licence for a generic version of Galen's Ovcon 35 oral contraceptive from Barr Pharmaceuticals, for €19m

Craigavon-based pharmaceutical firm Galen has settled its patent litigation with Barr Pharmaceuticals.

Pharmaceutical companies Galen and Barr this morning announced that they have closed two out of the three parts of their outstanding deal originally announced last September, which was under FTC review.

Galen Holdings has signed a letter of intent with Barr Laboratories removing the patent risk over three of its four products.

Northern Ireland-based pharmaceuticals group Galen toasted the addition of a string of new drugs today after third quarter results showed sales had more than doubled.

British Airways yesterday plunged to its worst-ever loss of £45 million in the first quarter, and said the cost of last week’s wildcat swipe card strike could be £40 million.

Bayer AG said it will "resolutely" fight several legal claims that have emerged in the US against the validity of its patent on anti-anthrax drug Cipro.