For 2018 to be deemed a progressive and successful year for the Clare hurlers, then an All-Ireland semi-final has to be reached, according to Frank Lohan.

Kieran Shannon and John Divilly review the weekend's championship action.

Crowds of between 20,000 and 25,000 are expected at this Sunday’s Munster SHC first-round games.

Clare joint-manager Gerry O’Connor has claimed the pitch in Cusack Park is bigger in size than Thurles and Croke Park.

The all-consuming nature of inter-county life finds itself front and centre once more. Burnout tends to dominate GAA discourse this time of year, but the tales of Kieran Bergin and Joe Sheridan have overshadowed however many emerging talents are being pulled here, there and everywhere.

Tracey Kennedy was confirmed last night as the first female chair in Cork GAA history as nominations closed for annual convention without a challenge to her nomination.

Darach Honan has become the fourth member of Clare's 2013 All Ireland-winning panel to announce his retirement from inter-county hurling in recent weeks.

Good afternoon. Here’s all the news you need to know this lunchtime.

Here’s a briefing on some of the stories and issues highlighted on irishexaminer.com today.

Limerick hurling coach Paul Kinnerk fears the dual player will become an extinct species at inter-county level unless alterations are made to the fixtures programme.

Clare hurlers were united in deciding it was time for a change after five years of Davy Fitzgerald’s management, vice-captain Cian Dillon confirmed yesterday, but he insists it was ultimately Fitzgerald’s own decision to step down from the role.

For a while there, the dunes of Banna Strand were threatening to become for Kerry what the hill in Crusheen was for the Clare hurlers in 1995 or the Spartan-esque Bere Island for Cork’s footballers in 2010. 

Even as Philippe Coutinho injected hope into Liverpool’s chances of reeling in Borussia Dortmund in their Europa League quarter-final second leg at Anfield last week, Clare senior football selector David O’Brien was momentarily distracted.

Former Clare GAA chairman Michael McDonagh has defended his version of his “warts and all review” of the 2015 season, which he delivered at last week’s county convention.

A woman died of breast cancer just days after her third baby was born and after two missed opportunities to diagnose the tumour in her breast, the discovery of a suspected BSE case in Louth ’proves structures are robust’ and Liverpool have rejected a £25m offer for Raheem Sterling. Here’s this morning’s irishexaminer.com round up.

Members of the Clare hurling panel are asked to inform Davy Fitzgerald when they are going on a night out, the 2013 All-Ireland winning-manager has revealed.

So the end came over tea and scones. That seems a rather genteel way to conclude the greatest career in Gaelic games rather than, say, a last, frenzied attack to overturn a two-point deficit, a desperate free launched into a hostile square.

Larry Ryan checked his web cache to go on a loose solo run around some online destinations that will keep you informed and entertained.

GAA players are professional in everything but name and professional everywhere but pocket, suggests John Fogarty.

Clare 2-8 Waterford 2-8

He’s the father of Podge Collins, one of the brightest young players in the GAA, but Colm Collins is his own man too. He’s the manager of the county’s senior footballers who are aiming to shake their tag as bridesmaids in Munster, starting tonight

Clare hurling manager Davy Fitzgerald claims that alcohol and substance abuse was “a problem” in the Clare hurling panel in the middle of the last decade.

All-Ireland winning Clare hurling boss Davy Fitzgerald has opened up about how he was severely bullied when he was a child.

Maybe he wouldn’t still be playing for Tyrone now.

Standing outside the abandoned home of pensioner Michael McMahon, Councillor Bill Chambers remarked: “Michael was really happy here.”

Rob Heffernan’s World Championship gold in the 50km walk was the greatest Irish sporting achievement of 2013.

Arsenal trio Lukas Podolski, Santi Cazorla and Mesut Özil have lent their support to Munster heading into their clash with Perpignan tomorrow.

The Minister of State for Tourism and Sport confirmed €2 million of the monies cut from the sports budget earlier this year has been returned to the sector for use at grass roots and elite levels.

Carlow captain Edward Coady believes Central Council were correct not to return Cork to Division 1.

The Cork Senior Ladies Football team have been visiting Crumlin and Temple Street Children's Hospitals, ahead of returning to the banks of the Lee tonight as All-Ireland Senior Champions for the eighth time in nine years.

The Banner roared last night as 30,000 supporters turned out in Ennis to give a tumultuous welcome to the victorious All-Ireland senior hurlers with the Liam MacCarthy Cup.

Upwards of 30,000 people descended on Ennis tonight for the homecoming of the Clare Senior and Under 21 All-Ireland-winning teams.

Local Authorities in Clare will host a joint homecoming event for the Clare Senior and Under 21 hurlers tomorrow after winning their All-Ireland titles.

There was another instance of Premier League footballers' admiration for Gaelic Games earlier today when Arsenal's Lukas Podolski and Santi Cazorla showed their support for Clare ahead of the All-Ireland SHC final replay against Cork.

GAA teams will use GPS technology this weekend to tell them when to make substitutions.

PAUL KINNERK is intent on holding a different type of dual status this year.