A security expert who protected one of the richest men in the world found a guard asleep on the job at JP McManus’s €100m home at Martinstown Stud, Co Limerick.

With four years until Rio he didn’t have to make the call

HAVING consolidated his place at the top of the world rankings by finishing third in the WGC Cadillac event at the weekend, Rory McIlroy takes a three-week break before the Masters at Augusta on April 5.

A REMARKABLE year could get even better this weekend as Graeme McDowell bids to claim the Race to Dubai and become the European Tour’s number one player.

AHERLOW retained their West Tipperary SFC crown with a hard-fought win against Galtee Rovers in a free-ridden encounter in Lattin yesterday.

THE TUG-OF-LOVE that ensued between the rival agencies for Shane Lowry’s signature after his remarkable victory in the 3 Irish Open was always going to end in favour of Conor Ridge’s Dublin-based Horizon Sports Management.

The news on Derval O'Rourke's groin injury is positive as it does not look like it will prevent her from competing at the Olympic Games in Beijing.

Cork's experimentation with Diarmuid O'Sullivan at full-forward will continue this Sunday when they clash with Tipperary in the Waterford Crystal Cup final (Páirc Uí Chaoimh, throw-in 2pm).

Toomevara attacker Francis Devanney has been drafted into the Tipperary side for Sunday's All-Ireland SHC quarter-final against Waterford at Croke Park (throw-in 4pm).

Tipperary's team selection for Sunday's Munster SHC final could spell double trouble for champions Cork as both of the Kelly brothers, Eoin and Paul, will line out for the Premier men.

PEOPLE can talk all they like about Ring, Mackey, Doyle, about Tull Considine and Philly Grimes, all the great ghosts of hurling past, but be in no doubt about this; yesterday in Semple Stadium we witnessed one of the greatest ever individual displays in the long history of the Munster championship.

Tipperary 0-22 Limerick 2-12

Tipperary 2-21 Offaly 3-14

Tipperary manager Babs Keating has made wholesale changes to his side for Sunday's NHL Division One quarter-final tussle with Offaly (Semple Stadium, throw-in 2.15pm).

Tipperary manager Babs Keating has chopped and changed his side for next Sunday's NHL Division 1B game with Laois.

With a break in the National Hurling League next weekend, Munster giants Tipperary and Clare have teed up an enticing challenge match for Sunday at Templederry (throw-in 2.30pm).

2005 All-Star nominee Micheal Webster has returned from injury to take his place in a much-changed Tipperary team for Sunday's NHL Division 1B trip to Antrim (Cushendall, throw-in 2.00pm).

Tipperary manager Babs Keating has made three changes to his side for Sunday's mouth-watering NHL Division 1B clash with champions Kilkenny (Thurles, throw-in 2.30pm).

Liam England and Niall Curran, two members of last season's Tipperary football panel, will make their league debuts for the Premier County's hurlers against Limerick on Sunday (Gaelic Grounds, throw-in 2.30pm).

Limerick 0-18 Tipperary 0-12

BABS KEATING is hoping that this weekend’s challenge match against Waterford will give him a better idea of the talent available as he seeks to resurrect Tipperary’s fortunes in 2006.

At 5.15pm, there's a distinct chance that all four semi-final spots in this year's All-Ireland hurling championship could be occupied by Munster counties.

TIPPERARY have deferred selection of their team to meet Galway in the quarter final of the Guinness All-Ireland SHC at Croke Park on Sunday until the weekend.

Cork 1-21 Tipperary 1-16

Tipperary manager Ken Hogan will give corner forward Lar Corbett until the last possible moment to prove his fitness for Sunday's Munster SHC final.

ROLL out the barricades, the Tippmen are coming, and this time, they mean business.

Tipperary 2-14 Clare 0-14

Limerick and Tipperary do battle all over again following their pulsating Munster SHC first round draw last week in Thurles.

Tipperary boss Ken Hogan has delayed naming his side to take on Limerick in Saturday's Munster SHC replay at the Gaelic Grounds in Limerick.

LIMERICK manager Joe McKenna is standing by the team which drew with Tipperary last Sunday for Saturday's Guinness Munster senior hurling championship first round replay at the Gaelic Grounds.

Tipperary All Star Eoin Kelly and midfielder Colin Morrissey will be fit for selection for Saturday's Munster SHC replay against Limerick at the Gaelic Grounds.

SLIGO have called up U-21 star Adrian Marren for Sunday’s Bank of Ireland Connacht SFC clash with Leitrim at Carrick-on-Shannon.

SEVENTY minutes old, and already the championship coffers are swelling. Tipperary and Limerick will rejoin their fight for the right to meet Clare in the Munster hurling semi final next Saturday.

The 2005 Munster senior hurling championship gets underway today with the meeting of Tipperary and Limerick at Semple Stadium, Thurles.

Tipperary boss Ken Hogan has handed attacker Francis Devaney his senior championship debut in Sunday's Munster hurling championship clash against Limerick at Semple Stadium, Thurles.

TOOMEVARA’S rising young star Francis Devaney will make his Munster senior hurling championship debut for Tipperary in Sunday’s first round clash with Limerick at Semple Stadium, but there is no place for former skipper Tomas Dunne.

Galway 0-17 Tipperary 3-16

All-Ireland finalists Kilkenny meet Wexford in the second phase of the National Hurling League today at Wexford Park at the later time of 6.15pm.

Tipperary boss Ken Hogan has made two changes from the side that lost to Clare last weekend for Sunday's National Hurling League clash against Galway.

TEAM captain Brian Dooher and leading scorer Stephen O’Neill have been recalled to the Tyrone team to meet Wexford in the semi final of the Allianz National Football League at Portlaoise on Sunday.