Jackie Tyrrell makes his first since last year’s Leinster final as one of five changes to the Kilkenny side for tomorrow’s Allianz HL Division 1A clash with Galway at Nowlan Park tomorrow (2pm).

Match of the day in a busy weekend of divisional senior hurling championship games was the Mid Tipp clash of county champions, Thurles Sarsfields and divisional title-holders, Drom-Inch at Holycross yesterday.

Mickey Harte has told the Tyrone County Board that he is not stopping any of his players conducting interviews with RTÉ.

Tipperary senior hurling champions, Loughmore-Castleiney suffered a shock defeat in the Mid Division’s SHC semi-final, losing to Upperchurch -Drombane 2-19 to 1-21 after extra-time at Templemore yesterday.

While supporters of Limerick hurling are still coming to terms with events of the last few days, Tipperary’s Paddy Stapleton — Limerick’s opponents in the Munster championship on June 1 — warns it might turn out to be a blessing in disguise.

As Cork make the long trip to Ballycastle on Sunday in the search for a handsome win over Antrim to boost their scoring difference, Jimmy Barry-Murphy has made six changes to the side that beat Offaly last weekend.

On September 29, Loughmore-Castleiney beat Borrisoleigh by 1-17 to 2-12 to book a place in the Tipperary senior hurling championship final.

New Tipperary senior hurling captain Brendan Maher has called on the Premier County to kickstart a new era. Maher, 24, was named on Monday evening, with Noel McGrath from senior champions Loughmore-Castleiney vice-captain.

TIPPERARY SHC Final

Loughmore-Castleiney and Éire Óg Nenagh, as expected, qualified for the Tipperary SHC quarter-finals with comfortable round four wins over Roscrea and Silvermines respectively on Saturday evening.

Toomevara conjured up a dramatic late rally to pip outsiders Templederry 0-24 to 2-17 in a thrilling SHC round three tie at Nenagh.

Champions UCC are within an hour of retaining their Fitzgibbon Cup title after a comprehensive defeat of UCD in sun-splashed Carnmore yesterday, a powerful second half enough to defeat Nicky English’s charges.

Marksman David Flynn was the hero as Roscrea edged out Lorrha 2-12 to 1-14 in a thrilling Tipperary SHC third round tie.

County man Pa Bourke hit a whopping six goals as Thurles Sarsfields blitzed holders Loughmore-Castleiney in a disappointingly one-sided Mid Tipperary senior hurling final at Templemore.

Tipperary senior hurling manager Declan Ryan is monitoring the fitness of defenders Michael Cahill and Thomas Stapleton as well as forward Pa Bourke ahead of the Munster SHC final showdown against Waterford on Sunday week.

After claiming a dramatic late draw last week, UCC seized their chance in last night’s replay in Cloughduv to prevail against Carbery in the divisional-colleges section of the Cork SHC.

A last-gasp extra-time point by Whitechurch player Sean Keane salvaged a draw for UCC in a highly entertaining opening round tie in the divisions-colleges section of the Cork SHC in Cloughduv last night.

FAVOURITES Borrisoleigh powered their way past Carrick Swans at Semple Stadium last evening, their five-point winning margin giving them their place in the Tipperary Senior Hurling quarter-final against Mullinahone.

THERE were few surprises in the opening round of the Tipperary senior hurling championship over the weekend.

YOUNG Hurler of the Year Brendan Maher came through his competitive comeback unscathed yesterday , scoring three points for Borrisoleigh in their North Tipperary SHC defeat by Kildangan.

De La Salle (Waterford) 0-9 Thurles Sarsfields (Tipp) 0-8

TIPPERARY GAA chiefs last night postponed six local club fixtures which had been scheduled for next weekend due to the county’s forthcoming All-Ireland senior final battle with Kilkenny and their participation in next Saturday’s Bord Gáis Energy All-Ireland U21HC semi-final.

LIMERICK and Tipperary are both bidding to break the stranglehold that Cork and Kerry have exerted in the Munster minor football grade, when the semi-finals of the competition take place tonight.

ALL the excitement of the All-Ireland final put to bed, it’s back to serious club business in Kilkenny and Tipperary this weekend, the senior club championships in both counties at quarter-final stage with one exception.

Both Tipperary and Limerick make one change in personnel to their starting 15s for Sunday's All Ireland Senior Hurling Semi-Final.

BRENDAN MAHER will make his starting championship debut for Tipperary in Sunday’s All-Ireland SHC semi-final against Limerick, after being drafted into the team by manager Liam Sheedy last night.

TIPPERARY have named nine senior panellists in their starting 15 for tomorrow night’s opening defence of their provincial crown in the Munster U-21HC quarter-final against Cork in Semple Stadium at 7:30pm.

A FORMER chairman of Tipperary Co-op was honoured yesterday for his contribution to the cooperative movement.

Philip Maher is expected to be missing from the Tipperary senior hurling panel for some time after the Borrisoleigh defender decided to withdraw himself temporarily from the squad.

TIPPERARY full-back Philip Maher is extremely doubtful for Sunday’s Munster SHC semi-final against Waterford after suffering a knee injury over the weekend.

THE draws for the knock-out stages of the Credit Union Munster Colleges SFC and SHC have thrown up some mouth-watering quarter-final ties.

Tipperary manager Ken Hogan will give corner forward Lar Corbett until the last possible moment to prove his fitness for Sunday's Munster SHC final.

PHILIP MAHER has been ruled out of Tipperary team to play Clare in the Munster SHC semi-final on Sunday.

THE Tipperary Senior hurling team to play Limerick in tonight’s Munster SHC replay shows three changes from the drawn match.

RIGHTLY or wrongly, the general perception of next weekend’s All-Ireland semi-finals of the AIB club hurling championship would be that Kilkenny champions James Stephens will advance at the expense of Ulster standard-bearers O’Donovan Rossa, while Athenry may have a slight edge over Toomevara.

ARCH rivals St Flannan’s and St Colman’s are set to meet in the Harty Cup final following the quarter-final draw in Mallow.

Following the completion of the Round Robin series of games in the Dr Harty Cup, the following are the winners and runners-up of the four groups, and are through to the quarter-finals after Christmas.

TOMORROW’S Dr Harty Cup tie between Farranferris and St Joseph’s (Borrisoleigh) could be a nostalgic affair.

TOMORROW’S Dr Harty Cup tie between Farranferris and St Joseph’s (Borrisoleigh) could be a nostalgic affair.

COLÁISTE NA SCEILGE, the most successful side in recent times of the (Munster Colleges SFC) Corn Uí Mhuiri, have been given a possible stay of execution in this year’s event.