Louth ran up a sensational score when they obliterated Kilkenny in the Leinster U21FC at Ballyragget last night.

You know that old chestnut about the attendance of your funeral being largely dependent on the weather?

AN HOUR before throw-in, Brewster Park officials directed a luxury coach into the ground.

THERE’S plenty speculation, but it’s most unlikely Paul O’Connell will return for Saturday’s Amlin Cup semi-final clash with Harlequins at Thomond Park.

MUNSTER’S injury crisis has been well documented, but there were no histrionics from coach Tony McGahan yesterday as he announced a 27-man squad to prepare for Saturday’s Magners League derby with Leinster at Thomond Park (7.30).

BRUFF produced a magical 80 minutes and wrote a new chapter in the storied history of the ODM Munster Senior Cup at Thomond Park yesterday, denying tournament specialists Garryowen their 39th triumph with a display that combined brilliance and dogged determination.

FROM the high of a memorable victory over Australia, it was back to the bread and butter of the Magners League for Munster at Musgrave Park last night - but in many respects, this result was just as satisfying.

PAUL O’CONNELL was yesterday renamed as Munster captain despite being ruled out of action for the first half of the season.

DENIS LEAMY will make a long-awaited return from injury when Munster play Leicester Tigers in a pre-season friendly at Musgrave Park on Friday (7pm).

PAUL MURPHY’S early season training regime was very different to that normally undertaken by Kilkenny hurlers.

JEREMY Manning, a player whose season has been ravaged by injury, demonstrated his potential with two smashing tries in Munster’s British & Irish Cup semi-final victory at Thomond Park on Saturday.

HAVING defeated Ulster twice this season in the A Interprovincial Championship, Munster will be fancied to complete the hat-trick as they take on the Ravens in the semi-final of the inaugural British & Irish Cup at Thomond Park this afternoon.

MUNSTER legend Anthony Foley is confident his young side will add further lustre to the province when his Munster A side takes on the Ulster Ravens in the first of a highly attractive double-header at Thomond Park on Saturday next (3.30pm).

DONNCHA O’CALLAGHAN is the only member of the Irish team that started Saturday’s Six Nations defeat to Scotland included in Munster’s squad for Friday’s Magners League game with Glasgow at Thomond Park (8pm).

IT’S a pity those who bemoan the demise of the club game weren’t in Dubarry Park on Saturday afternoon.

DOLPHIN’S dream of All-Ireland Cup glory was shattered at Musgrave Park on Saturday when Garryowen produced their best form of the season to secure a final berth against old rivals Cork Constitution.

THE gap at the bottom of AIB Division 1A widened and Garryowen took another step closer to hitting the panic button when they slumped to their fourth defeat of the campaign at Dooradoyle on Saturday.

GARRYOWEN ended a run of three defeats with victory over an understrength St Mary’s College in Saturday’s AIB All-Ireland Cup at Dooradoyle.

Munster 19 Sale Sharks 17

THE pace, skill and opportunism of winger Stephen Kelly and the quality of a pack who used the atrocious conditions to their advantage were crucial factors as Shannon qualified for another AIB League final at Coonagh on Saturday.

GOOD times for Denis Ring’s Blackwater Community School in Lismore.

Macroom 2-14 Fermoy 1-7

ENGLISH buyers were very active at yesterday’s Cork Greyhound Sales, picking up some choice lots.

Kilmallock 2-15 Patrickswell 1-16

Shannon CCS 2-15 Douglas CS 0-6

Knockainey 4-10 Patrickswell 1-12

Pallasgreen 1-9 Bruree 0-9

CHRISTIAN College, Cork, recovered from a poor start to comfortably defeat St Munchin's in the Coca Cola Munster Schools Junior Cup semi-final at Thomond Park yesterday.

Castlehaven 1-9 Clonakilty 1-7

Athenry 1-16 Sarsfields 3-7

Borders 27 Connacht 28

Cork 4-12