Sixmilebridge captured their 13th Clare senior hurling title on Sunday, emphatically beating Clooney-Quin in Sunday's replay.

Clare and Munster champions Ballyea lost their crowns with a 1-16 to 1-12 defeat to Newmarket-on-Fergus at Cusack Park, Ennis on Saturday evening.

Ballymartle 0-16

Na Piarsaigh (Limerick) 3-11 Sixmilebridge (Clare) 1-15: NA PIARSAIGH remain on course for a third Munster Club hurling title in five years after a blistering second-half performance saw them power past the home side at O’Garvey Park, Sixmilebridge yesterday.

Ballymartle 2-19 Glen Rovers 0-23: Ballymartle’s Darren McCarthy sent a “pick me” message to Cork senior hurling manager Jimmy Barry-Murphy on Saturday night as he inspired the Riverstick club during a stunning second-half revival against the famed Glen Rovers in round one of the Cork SHC at Páirc Uí Rinn.

BALLYHEA

The third annual Reardens Club All Star awards take place next Monday at 7.30pm, with 45 hurlers and 45 footballers in contention to be recognised for their excellence in the senior championships this season.

Erin’s Own 2-12 Ballymartle 2-9

Ballymartle 5-12 Blackrock 2-17

Ballymartle 3-16 Courcey Rovers 0-15

In the well-produced programme for the recent Clare county senior hurling final the date of birth for Niall Gilligan was given as 12/8/1986.

Ballymartle 5-17 Douglas 4-18 (aet)

Ballymartle 4-19 St. Finbarr’s 1-20 (aet)

Newtownshandrum 2-27 Ballymartle 2-23 (after extra time)

Cork senior hurler Patrick Horgan was on fire for Glen Rovers against Courcey Rovers in the RedFM SHL though the game ended level following a thrilling encounter.

Dónal Óg Cusack is unlikely to captain the Cork senior hurlers in 2013, with a new skipper likely to be appointed in the next fortnight.

Bishopstown 1-13 Ballymartle 0-12

Ballymartle 1-17 Na Piarsaigh 0-17

Ballinhassig's Martin Coleman has won the battle to replace the injured Dónal Óg Cusack in the Cork team for Sunday's Allianz Hurling League final against Kilkenny.

Jimmy Barry-Murphy has paired league debutant Darren Sweetnam and Seán Óg Ó hAilpín together in midfield for Cork's opening Allianz Hurling League encounter with Waterford on Saturday night.

The Waterford Crystal Tournament is meant to be an early-season warm-up competition, an opportunity for teams to shake loose the winter cobwebs.

In a week when Lar Corbett withdrew from the squad, Tipperary manager Declan Ryan suffered another setback when Patrick 'Bonner' Maher was carried off with a leg injury during today's Waterford Crystal Cup semi-final.

He bid farewell to the inter-county game in November 2000, three months after his Cork team had been defeated in the All-Ireland semi-final by Offaly.

The hurlers of Tipperary and Cork will enjoy an early-season duel in the Waterford Crystal Cup semi-finals next weekend after both sides progressed through to the last-four of the competition.

KERRY boss Jack O’Connor has named only seven of the team defeated by Dublin in last September’s All-Ireland final for Saturday’s rematch in the opening round of the Allianz Football League Division 1 in Croke Park.

The Cork team to play Laois in Saturday's All-Ireland SHC qualifier at O'Moore Park (throw-in 3pm) has been announced.

THAT Ballymartle were within two points of Cloyne at half-time in this Cork SHC round two game in Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Saturday owed much to the brilliance of keeper Declan McCarthy; that they were ahead at the end of the hour, owed just as much to the accuracy from placed balls of his namesake Darren McCarthy in midfield as it did to the corresponding inaccuracy of a succession of Cloyne free-takers.

BEN O’CONNOR has made major contributions to Newtown hurling over the years but his latest at Mallow on Saturday night in the county senior championship was massive.

CORK’S production line at intermediate hurling level continues to be in fine working order as evidenced by this victory over Tipperary in yesterday at Semple Stadium.

NEW Kerry U21 coach Eamonn Fitzmaurice has moved quickly to put an impressive back-room team in place for next season — including former Munster rugby forward John O’Sullivan as physical trainer.

THE euphoria had yet to abate after Ballymartle’s county PIHC triumph last October when their players focus shifted to greater challenges. Manager Anthony McCarthy and coach Eddie Murphy assembled the panel after the victory over Tracton and enquired what was the attitude towards the upcoming provincial and national campaigns.

A SCRAPPY encounter in this Munster club IHC semi-final in Ballyagran yesterday, but a dominant second-half performance was enough to see Ballymartle qualify for the final against Tipp side Borrisokane in Mallow on Sunday week.

BALLYMARTLE showed too much class yesterday for Tracton in the Evening Echo Cork Premier IHC final, edging out their local rivals by seven points in an entertaining derby game.

DOUGLAS will compete in the semi-finals of the Evening Echo Cork SHC for the first time in their history after they pipped Cork IT by a point after extra-time in a thrilling quarter-final at Páirc Uí Rinn last night.

BALLYMARTLE justified their status as championship favourites once more in Minane Bridge last night when they staved off a spirited challenge from local rivals Courcey Rovers before triumphing in the Evening Echo Cork PIHC semi-final.

CORK’s qualification for next month’s All-Ireland final has led to county board chiefs postponing club matches fixed for next week involving members of the starting 15 that defeated Dublin in last Sunday’s All-Ireland semi-final.

NEWCESTOWN’S title aspirations ground to a shuddering halt in dramatic circumstances at Ballinspittle on Saturday when a late flurry of Ballymartle points put them out of the Cork Premier IHC.

NEWCESTOWN’S title aspirations ground to a shuddering halt in dramatic circumstances at Ballinspittle on Saturday when a late flurry of Ballymartle points put them out of the Cork Premier IHC.

CORK are chasing their 13th Munster intermediate hurling crown when they take on Waterford in tonight’s decider at Fraher Field, Dungarvan at 7.30pm, a repeat of last year’s final encounter in Páirc Uí Chaoimh when Cork enjoyed a 5-24 to 3-9 triumph.