Kilmacud Crokes (Dublin) 0-23 Rathdowney-Errill (Laois) 0-22 (AET)

Rathdowney-Errill 1-20 Camross 0-10

Camross and Borris-Kilcotton were the big winners over the weekend in the Laois SHC as they both ensured their places in the semi-finals with surprise wins.

Laois manager Seamus Plunkett has named the same team for Saturday's All-Ireland SHC second phase qualifier against Clare in Ennis (throw-in 3pm) as the one which lost to Galway in the Leinster semi-final.

Offaly club Kilcormac/Killoughey are through to the AIB Leinster Club SHC final at their very first attempt, qualifying courtesy of today's 2-12 to 0-14 victory over Rathdowney/Errill.

Rathdowney-Errill (Laois) 1-12 Clonkill (Westmeath) 0-12

Kiltale were crowned Meath SHC champions for the first time since 2007 as a Mark O’Sullivan goal helped them see off Killyon in today’s decider in Navan.

The outcome of this year’s All-Ireland Vocational SAHC still remains in doubt, despite Nenagh Vocational School confirming last night they will not appeal any further against the GAA’s decision to throw them out of the championship after being found guilty of the charge of “misconduct which is considered to have discredited the Association”.

Irate Nenagh Vocational School team manager Stephen O’Meara has claimed “mob rule” forced the abandonment of Saturday’s All-Ireland VS senior hurling ‘A’ semi-final against St Fergal’s, Rathdowney.

THE Ardpatrick and Kilfinane coursing meeting has been postponed by one day to this Saturday, Sunday and Monday.

BY and large the weekend greyhound racing schedule has been decimated with only a handful of cards surviving the savage early winter freeze-up.

CO CORK’S Terelton club in the Muskerry region dominated the Macra beef and sheep stockjudging competition sponsored by Bord Bia.

Kilkenny's O'Loughlin Gaels and Raharney of Westmeath earned AIB Leinster SHC quarter-finals wins this afternoon, while in Munster, the hurlers of Kilmallock also claimed a semi-final berth.

ST Gall’s and Portlaoise are the only two clubs in contention to retain their provincial titles as the action in this year’s AIB All-Ireland Club Championships gets cranked up a few notches in the coming weeks.

SIPTU has warned that hundreds of jobs are at risk across the meat processing industry.

Laois 3-12 Carlow 2-11

Ballyhale Shamrocks (Kilkenny) 1-18 Rathdowney/Errill (Laois) 1-11, Nowlan Park

Marts: Beef prices have slumped below 2006 level — for the first time this year — after the worst week for the dead trade in several months plunged finished into deeper losses.

Marts: As beef prices tightened at the factories for a second week, analysis of factory averages for the first two months of 2007 show smaller factories led the field within a narrow price variation nationally.

The cream of Irish ladies’ golfing talent from across the midlands district will this week battle it out at Birr Golf Club for a place in the national final of the inaugural AA Insurance Ladies Championships.

Dual star Darren Rooney will be missing from the Laois hurling team for tomorrow's All-Ireland SHC Group A qualifier clash with Waterford (O'Moore Park, throw-in 3.45pm).

Courtown will look to build on their success in the inaugural AA Insurance Ladies Championship, as the club looks to sweep the board in the all-important quarter-final stage of all four singles competitions.

ST BROGAN’S College, Bandon are on course to make it a double when they play St Fergal’s College (Rathdowney) in the All-Ireland vocational schools SHC final at Cahir today (3.30pm).

A top factory price of 99p/lb was paid for R grade bullocks as prices across the country strengthened at the factories, following the dip in supplies last week.

THERE was further slight slippage in the prices paid by factories to producers for beef last week with the averages down by around 0.5p/lb to 1p/lb and the fall registering across the scale of grades and factories from the highest paying to the weakest payers.