Cork’s quest for a first All-Ireland minor title since 2000 remains on course after they held off a good comeback by Monaghan in an exciting clash at O’Connor Park in Tullamore.

Three unanswered points approaching the finish were central in propelling Kerry to a seventh consecutive Munster MFC title and, in the process, stretching to 33 the county’s unbeaten run at this grade.

There are four Munster final debutants in the Kerry team to face Cork at Páirc Uí Chaoimh tomorrow evening.

The Cork minor footballers got their Munster campaign back on track with this hard-earned victory yesterday evening.

The Cork minor football team to play Kerry in tomorrow evening’s Munster championship round-robin fixture contains three players who featured against the Kingdom in last year’s provincial semi-final.

The Patrician Academy Mallow have claimed their first All-Ireland senior football title seeing off St Pauls Secondary School Oughterard in a thrilling final in Limerick today.

A special day for Patrician Academy, Mallow as they claimed their first Simcox Cup (Cork PPS senior A football championship title) at the 4G pitch in Páirc Uí Chaoimh. And a thoroughly deserved victory it was too. From start to finish, they played with a huge collective spirit and determination, and with an All Ireland C final against St Paul’s College Oughterard on Saturday week, this will serve as a massive shot in the arm.

Two weeks ago they needed a late point to force a replay, this time around the girls of Loreto Clonmel needed no such dramatics as they turned in a dominant performance to record their second Munster title on the bounce.

Just when you think you have them cornered, Kerry find a way out.

The victory extends Kerry’s winning-run at minor level to 26 games.

Such is the structure of the All-Ireland MFC, Kerry and Cork would much rather have stayed clear of each other until next month’s Munster decider.

Nobody was surprised at the margin of Cork’s victory in last night’s Electric Ireland Munster MFC first-round tie in Páirc Uí Rinn, least of all Waterford boss Tom Flynn.

Cork secured a Munster MFC semi-final spot with a straightforward win over Waterford at Páirc Uí Rinn this evening.

Goalkeeper Diarmuid Doody is the only survivor from last year’s Munster U17 football competition as Cork begin their campaign in the new minor grade tonight against Waterford in Páirc Uí Rinn (throw-in 7pm).

Limerick 1-28 Clare 1-15 

Waterford 2-13 Clare 2-12

Waterford minor hurling boss Derek Lyons is no advocate of the Munster championship structure.

Clare 1-23 Tipperary 0-12

Tipperary’s aspirations of securing a Munster semi-final berth have been dealt a massive blow with free-taker Shane Hennessy ruled out with cruciate ligament damage.

Waterford 4-18 Clare 1-10

Theoretically, the postponement of a game can be seen as a help as it allows both sides more time to prepare.

Our Lady’s Secondary School from Belmullet in Mayo snatched victory in the dying minutes to knock reigning champions Coláiste Íosaef, Kilmallock out of the All-Ireland.