CHAMPIONS Thurles Sarsfields have been drawn against Knockavilla Kickhams in the first round of the Tipperary senior hurling championship.

TIPPERARY’S Seamus Roche has announced his retirement from intercounty refereeing.

DENIS LEAMY will reunite with the coach who handed him his professional debut six years ago in Munster’s Heineken Cup semi-final against Saracens at the Ricoh Arena, Coventry on April 27.

DENIS LEAMY will steer the Ireland pack from his regular No 8 slot against Italy at Croke Park tomorrow, even though his mid-season revival in the wake of a forgettable Rugby World Cup campaign came courtesy of a switch to blindside flanker with Munster in early December.

U21 star Finian Hanley and former victorious captain Padraig Joyce have been given starting places in the Galway side to meet Mayo in the Bank of Ireland Connacht SFC final at Pearse Stadium on Sunday.

TIPPERARY minor bosses have made one change for Thursday night’s Munster MHC semi-final clash with Clare at the Gaelic Grounds, Limerick (7pm).

PROPOSALS to introduce a two-tier hurling championship at senior level in Tipperary for 2004 have stirred up a hornet’s nest among a number of the county’s leading clubs.

THE Galway team to play Tipperary in Sunday’s All-Ireland MHC semi-final, shows three changes from the side that defeated Antrim last time out.