I TOOK my place on the bank behind the near goal in Walsh Park yesterday and, a couple of minutes into the match, I was congratulating myself on the decision.

Cork couldn’t have dreamed of a better start, breaching Stephen O’Keeffe’s goal-line twice in the opening three minutes.

“Sean O’Donoghue came in centre field and Bill Cooper played centre-back, we’re just trying fellas out to see how they go — this is the time of the year to do it.”

They beat Liam Cahill's Waterford in a soggy Fraher Field with 2,976 in attendance.

The US feared the Russians could be plotting an undercover Cold War spy base in a disused Cork dockyard, newly declassified government documents suggest.

St Mary’s’ bid to complete the six-in-a-row of Jack Murphy Cups will have to wait until the middle of January at the earliest, as Dromid Pearses secured a late draw with two Niall Ó Sé frees during six minutes of added time in the Kerry SFC final at a bitterly cold Portmagee yesterday.

Morgan didn't play in the competition last season but returns to the highly lucrative tournament that will be used by man of the world's top stars as a warm-up to the T20 World Cup next year.

Fianna Fáil outlined how criminals are exploiting youngsters and how the law must be strengthened to protect minors from people getting them involved in the drugs trade.

Midfielder Alan Curran was the toast of Mullinahone with a goal deep in injury-time to give his side victory over Croom in a nail-biting finish to a thrilling Munster Club JFC semi-final at Bansha.

A stormy meeting on the controversial Public Services Card this morning saw Minister for Social Protection Regina Doherty say her department would take their objection to accusations of illegality levelled at the card “as far as it takes to vindicate our position”.

A Garda Chief Superintendant has said he was “very upset” that a bullying claim was made against him by a Garda whistleblower and described an allegation linking him to missing DVD evidence as “daft and without basis”.

There is some debate over the ferocity of the challenge though the end result of a red card for Dr Crokes’ Danny Cooper was the upshot.

Fianna Fáil wants to introduce new laws to help protect young people.

Scientists have developed revolutionary material that could protect pilots from laser attacks.

Services company Sodexo has named Margot Slattery, current country president for Sodexo in Ireland, as its global chief diversity officer.

This clash saw Limerick progress to the next round of the FAI Cup at the expense of a brave Cobh Wanderers effort.

An improbable career-best knock of 92 from nightwatchman Jack Leach underpinned England’s fightback against Ireland at Lord’s but the visitors remained in the hunt for one of Test cricket’s biggest upsets.

Former Roscommon goalkeeper Shane Curran is adamant Dublin having two Super 8 games in Croke Park is “not right or fair” but he doesn’t expect his county to contest it.

How is Ireland doing in its push to become a major player in the Artificial Intelligence (AI) market?

Investment in maritime area wind energy projects is being held back by the lack of clarity around the time it takes to assess planning applications.

INVESTMENT in maritime area wind energy projects is being held back by the lack of clarity around the time it takes to assess planning applications.

Jason Forde hit 1-9 as Tipperary shook off a sluggish mid-game spell to leave 14-man Waterford on the brink of a Munster Championship exit.

The Government is "turning its back" on vulnerable communities and ignoring the threat of scrambler bikes in local areas by failing to listen to garda concerns over the issue.

Batting first in the game which was reduced to 45 overs-a-side Ireland were bowled out for 198.

Galway manager Tim Rabbitte wants to see his side hit new heights against Cork in the Lidl National Football League Division 1 final after they eased past Donegal in the last four.

St Finbarr’s easily accounted for Carrigtwohill on Saturday evening in a resplendent Riverstown with a magnificent performance in the first round of the Cork SHC.

A Dublin man has received 240 hours community service in lieu of three years in jail for a one-punch assault which left an acquaintance with a fractured skull and reduced hearing.

A new bill will introduce heavy penalties for parents who buy vehicles for under 18s who go on to use them in a reckless manner.

Agrocycle Marketplace is a new website where farmers and food producers can sell their food-waste and agricultural waste to biogas energy producers and other users across Europe.

Male fertility may be declining but there are steps you can take to rebuild it, says Peta Bee.

Street-level drug dealing along Dublin's quays must be confronted, according to TD John Curran.

A seven-year-old boy who lacerated his left eyebrow when his head hit a bollard while walking with his mum at Blanchardstown Shopping Centre has been awarded €20,000 damages in the Circuit Civil Court.

The result may be a setback from a Cork perspective, but in the greater scheme of things, a significant step forward in Páirc Uí Rinn on Saturday as Cork’s ladies footballers got to share the stage with their male counterparts for the first time.

Dublin manager Mick Bohan praised his squad’s experienced players as they got back to winning ways in their Lidl NFL clash with Tipperary.

At present, people have to lodge complaints with the Residential Tenancies Board if their neighbours are renters.

Irish photo-artist Jean Curran is causing a stir in the New York art world with her reworking of stills from Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo. She’s come a long way since her days on the newsbeat in Cork, writes Marjorie Brennan.

Roscommon, the only senior football team yet to confirm a manager for 2019, are hoping to recruit a successor to Kevin McStay from outside the county.

A growing backlog in the Criminal Injuries Compensation Tribunal is leaving victims of serious assaults waiting years for redress.

How to feel your age part I: The Good Friday Agreement is a month older than Kyle Hayes.

Millionaire businessman Dr Michael Smurfit will have to attend the High Court to give evidence in the case of a former K Club manager who has sued alleging he was threatened at Punchestown Races.

A former K Club manager has claimed before the High Court court the man who allegedly threatened him at Punchestown Races was "the messenger of Dr Michael Smurfit."

From playing soccer with Def Leppard to rugby under Joe Schmidt, Ken Robinson enjoyed an eclectic sporting education. And now he is transferring his skills to developing a new generation of young Irish sporting talents in the capital.

A 10-year old Co Clare girl phoned her mother to say “Daddy is on the floor and we can’t wake him up” after finding her father in an unresponsive state in a sitting room.