Tipperary have named an unchanged starting side for Sunday’s All-Ireland SHC semi-final clash with Kilkenny, but the major talking point is the inclusion of Toomevara’s John O’Brien at full-forward. O’Brien’s brother Thomas passed away earlier this week.

UCC, the hosts and favourites, booked their place in today’s Fitzgibbon Cup final and in the process set up the first all-Cork college decider in the history of the event.

University of Limerick, boasting a number of senior county stars, proved too strong for IT Carlow in the second half of this Fitzgibbon Cup quarter-final.

Holders, University of Limerick were pushed all the way by a plucky St Pat’s team that scrapped for every ball in this Fitzgibbon Cup game at the Na Fianna grounds, Dublin yesterday.

Tipperary manager Declan Ryan is relishing the prospect of an early season joust with old rivals Cork next Sunday in what could be an early season dress rehearsal for a Munster semi-final in the summer.

Honours even at the end of a first-round Fitzgibbon Cup derby that never got off the ground at UL yesterday.

UCC 3-14 UL 0-12

DRAMA before the throw-in and drama at the death in Waterford IT sports campus on Saturday, as the University of Limerick grabbed a late, late goal from sub Thomas O’Brien to win the Fitzgibbon Cup.

UL 1-17 Limerick IT 2-11

UL’s aspirations of winning the Fitzgibbon Cup title remain intact, but only after they were forced to survive a stern examination from UCD in yesterday’s quarter-final.

CORK hurling manager Denis Walsh acknowledges that there are some “serious” contenders in their training panel for a small number of places in the squad.

TIPPERARY senior Paul Kelly pounced for a crucial 55th minute goal that swung yesterday’s Fitzgibbon Cup Group D tie in Limerick in the direction of his UL team.

Waterford IT 0-18 UCC 1-10

IT was his 14th All-Ireland final but rarely has Kilkenny legend Michael Kavanagh performed as well in Croke Park as he did on Saturday evening and rarely has he felt as much satisfaction afterwards.

IT was truly atrocious weather for hurling in the Mardyke yesterday afternoon, but the glittering hurling skills of Joe Canning managed to illuminate this Fitzgibbon Cup Group A clash.

TIPPERARY duo Eoin and Paul Kelly are both ruled out of Sunday’s Allianz NHL final clash with Kilkenny.

UCC 2-17 UL 0-14

A HECTIC hurling battle in yesterday’s Fitzgibbon Cup clash in CIT ended with the home side thankful to Cathal Naughton’s second-half intervention for settling the issue.

WRETCHED conditions for hurling in Newtownshandrum last night but for UCC there was cause to cheer as they collected honours in the Ulster Bank Higher Education Division 1 Hurling League final.

Kilkenny 1-16 Limerick 0-13