And then there were two — but how many of the Kilkenny and Tipperary teams are in the driving seat for All-Stars? John Fogarty makes his shouts

Of all the ridiculous, knee-jerk comments made about the Munster SHC this year, suggesting Waterford should be relegated instead of Carlow has to top them.

A sterling second-half comeback from Wexford earned the visitors to Salthill a share of the spoils in this error-ridden Leinster SHC clash.

Attendances for the opening two rounds of the Munster senior hurling championship are up over 15% on last year’s corresponding four fixtures.

Dublin manager Mattie Kenny has pointed out that the permutations are pretty straightforward now for his team — it’s win their remaining two games or exit the Leinster SHC.

If the Leinster SHC has prompted you to experience déjà vu, you’re not alone. For the second season in a row, Galway commence their campaign against the team expected to be the cannon fodder while Dublin and Kilkenny duel for starters.

Tickets for one of the most eagerly awaited Munster senior hurling championships go on sale tomorrow and the provincial council are expecting strong sales.

Carlow attacker Marty Kavanagh reckons a single win could be enough to preserve their Leinster SHC status and admitted they’re targeting the Dublin game in particular.

Cork captain Seamus Harnedy and Kilkenny’s Conor Delaney are free to play their counties’ respective provincial championship round one games following a decision by the GAA’s Central Appeals Committee (CAC) in Croke Park last night.

Colin Fennelly has often been accused of performance-inconsistency in the past.

You might have noticed the scoreline of the Dublin-Laois Allianz NHL Division 1B encounter at the weekend and wondered if Dublin were improving at all under Mattie Kenny.

Hours after Sunday’s latest Munster SHC draw, Michael ‘Brick’ Walsh thumbed a message on the Waterford WhatsApp players group. Nodding to his fumble that led to Patrick Maher’s first goal, he claimed responsibility for the draw but vowed to make amends against Limerick this Sunday and encouraged his team-mates to look ahead to the game.

Peter Canavan believes Jim Gavin has had to concede an element of control for the first time as Dublin manager, due to the ongoing uncertainty over whether Diarmuid Connolly will play a role for the county this summer.

The Munster Council have yet to come to an agreement about the televising of the Tipperary-Cork Munster SHC round two game in Semple Stadium on May 27.

Micheál Donoghue believes there is no need to rethink the weight of the sliotar in light of his Galway team’s achievement in claiming last year’s All-Ireland title without finding the net in their last four championship games.

Limerick are leaning in favour of the Croke Park motion to transform the provincial championships from knockout to round-robin, though it was decided at Tuesday’s county board meeting to allow their Special Congress delegation a free vote.

You couldn’t call it a rivalry.

Galway hurling PRO Jarlath Cloonan has raised the possibility of the county negotiating a return to the Munster senior hurling championship if the Leinster Council continue to refuse them home games and entry to their underage competitions.

Galway GAA chief executive John Hynes has expressed “grave concern” for the future of Galway hurling unless the county’s minor and U21 teams are properly catered for.

Conor Whelan’s only focus right now is Galway’s Leinster quarter-final meeting with Westmeath on June 5 – but he would like to see his county get a fairer shake in the province.

Munster chairman Jerry O’Sullivan sees no reason why the first round of the All-Ireland hurling qualifier draw has to change. 

Laois 1-20 Westmeath 1-17: A second half goal from Cha Dwyer sparked a stirring Laois comeback as they ran out three-point winners over Westmeath in O’Moore Park.

St Peter’s College (Wexford) 2-18 Borris Vocational College 0-15: SHEER persistence paid off for St. Peter’s as they secured a flattering nine-point win over a resilient Borris VC in this Leinster SHC ‘A’ semi-final at O’Kennedy Park, New Ross, Saturday.

The Leinster Council will vote next month on whether to allow Galway’s minor and U21 hurling teams into the province following Wednesday night’s presentation from leading Tribe officials seeking full integration.

The GAA will undertake a recruitment drive to increase the number of inter-county hurling referees.

There have been many contentious changes introduced by the GAA in recent years, the hurling penalty/20m free debacle just the latest example.

Sky Sports today begin construction on their camera scaffolding at Nowlan Park for their live GAA debut on Saturday — but in the wake of more embarrassing onscreen mistakes.

For the second time in 12 months Galway got the fright of their lives in the Leinster SHC as the Tribesmen carved out a two-point win over a determined Laois side in O’Moore Park, Portlaoise.

Another two weeks have still to crawl by before the ball is thrown in between Waterford and Cork, a game which will signal the start of the 2014 All-Ireland SHC in most people’s eyes.

Laois 1-15 Westmeath 1-09

Mayo’s Aidan O’Shea believes the inter-county GAA landscape is destined for seismic changes with smaller and weaker counties amalgamating and franchises emerging where players are paid for their services.

AIB LEINSTER CLUB SHC FINAL:

Teddy McCarthy had tendered his resignation as manager of the Laois hurling team after just one season in charge, citing work commitments.

The lasting memory of this game, and indeed Seamus McEnaney’s reign as Meath manager, will be the sight of the Corduff man scampering across the pitch to inform his players there were three minutes of additional time.

Every journey of a thousand miles commences with a first step and Wexford feel they are on the road to respectability again after this one.

Shane Dowling has blasted the Limerick public for not getting behind John Allen’s hurlers.

The only foregone conclusion in championship hurling, says Dublin manager Anthony Daly, is that there is no foregone conclusion.

IN his time as GAA president from 1997 to 2000 Joe McDonagh was responsible for the introduction of several major changes.

Tomorrow

THEY possess some of the brightest up-and-coming hurling talents in the country, yet Clare’s young attacking star Darach Honan feels his development and that of his Banner teammates is being stunted by the current Allianz League system.

BRIAN CODY is the only one of six managers involved in RTÉ’s three live televised games this weekend set to refuse post-match interviews with the national broadcasters.