Munster 33, Ospreys 0: Head coach Rassie Erasmus made a declaration of intent in last night’s match programme when he insisted Munster couldn’t afford to have a rollercoaster season. 

Offaly hurlers’ first inter-county game in Birr in nine years ended with a hard-fought victory over an experimental Kilkenny side comprising U21s and a handful of senior panellists.

Youth fills in for experience when Connacht try to halt an 11-year losing run in Wales to the Ospreys.

Munster head coach Anthony Foley will unleash his southern hemisphere imports on the Ospreys at the Liberty Stadium tomorrow, naming Aussie second row Mark Chisholm and New Zealand backs Tyler Bleyendaal and Francis Saili in the side for a crucial Guinness Pro12 clash.

Thomas Hickey fired 2-4 at Croke Park to secure victory in an All-Ireland junior football final at the second attempt for himself and Kerry.

On the basis of the announced team at least, Monaghan have chosen to leave well enough alone by naming the same 15 that started the Ulster final for tomorrow’s All-Ireland quarter-final against Tyrone.

Mayo 1-12 Kilkenny 0-8: Kilkenny’s decision to line out with two sweepers in Saturday’s All Ireland Junior Championship semi-final had backfired spectacularly within 20 minutes, as Mayo opened up a 1-5 to no score lead at O’Connor Park.

Mayo 1-12 Galway 0-13: Andrew Farrell’s goal 10 minutes from the break helped Mayo to their first Connacht junior football title since 2012.

Zebre 10 Connacht 40: It has been a season like no others. With a new record of 10 wins and currently leaders in the disciplinary stakes, Connacht will still be fighting on the last day of the Guinness Pro12 season for Champions Cup rugby.

Guiness Pro12

Following the disappointment of last Sunday’s home defeat to Newport Gwent Dragons, Leinster coach Matt O’Connor has made a total of seven changes to his starting line-up for tonight’s Pro12 encounter against Zebre at the RDS.

Zebre 7 Munster 31: Munster got the result and — for 40 minutes at least — the performance they wanted in Italy which sends them into next Saturday’s vital Champions Cup clash with Saracens.

Anthony Foley has warned Keith Earls will have a battle to reclaim his place in the Munster side after naming the Ireland international in the replacements for the Pro12 clash against bottom-of-the-table Zebre today.

Connacht’s first All Black, Mils Muliaina, makes his debut for the province tonight when Connacht host Zebre at the Galway Sportsground (7.35pm).

Raharney 1-8 Kilcormac-Killoughey 1-13

Kilcormac Killoughey (Offaly) 2-13 Shelmaliers (Wexford) 0-18 (AET)

GUINNESS PRO12:

RABO DIRECT PRO12:

Kilcormac/Killoughey (Offaly)1-18 Camross (Laois) 1-10

Zebre 6 Connacht 33

Kilcormac-Killoughey 1-21 Birr 1-14

Kilcormac-Killoughey 1-19 Seir Kieran 2-10

Zebre 21 Munster 41

Connacht 25 Zebre 16

Pat Lam has a hard act to follow when his Connacht team take to the field in today’s Rabodirect Pro 12 opener against Italian visitors Zebre (5pm).

St Thomas (Galway) 1-11 Kilcormac-Killoughey (Offaly) 1-9

Thurles Sarsfield 1-14 Kilcormac-Killoughey 1-20

Kilcormac/Killoughey 1-12 Oulart-the-Ballagh 0-11

Kilcormac/Killoughey 2-12 Rathdowney/Errill 0-14

Kilcormac-Killoughey (Offaly) 1-11 Mt Leinster Rangers (Carlow) 0-09

Kilcormac/Killoughey 2-16 St Rynagh’s 2-12

Kerry junior football boss Sean Moynihan insists several of his players are good enough to make the step-up to the Kingdom’s senior football ranks next season.

Despite not scoring for the final 16 minutes of play, Avondhu progressed to the Cork SFC quarter-finals at Ilen Rovers’ expense in Macroom on Saturday night.

The Mayo junior footballers are back in the All-Ireland JFC final for the first time since 2001 after a comfortable nine-point victory over the All-Britain champions in Manchester on Saturday.

They may have grown accustomed to journeying the backdoor route in the Cork SFC in recent seasons but Ballincollig passed their opening assignment of this year’s championship in powerful fashion at Dunmanway on Saturday night.

St Fachtna’s, Skibbereen 0-13 Coláiste na Sceilge 0-9