FIVE minutes into the second-half of the second Kilkenny SHC semi-final in yesterday’s double-header at Nowlan Park, it looked like a shock (pardon the pun) was on the cards as Carrickshock took a surprise if well-merited one-point lead.

Kilkenny 2-24 Offaly 0-12

MUNSTER football manager Sean Geaney last night joined the chorus of criticism regarding the timing of the inter-provincial championship. His selection options for tomorrow’s football semi-final against Leinster in Fermoy have been decimated by a combination of factors.

LIMERICK are not quite certain they’ll be playing in the top flight of the league in 2008 despite thrashing Offaly in a Division 1B play-off tie at Nenagh yesterday.

TWENTY-YEAR-OLD Killian Young from the Renard club makes his National Football League debut for Kerry when they take on Mayo in the opening round at Castlebar on Sunday.

LEINSTER manager John Conran has drafted Kilkenny duo Jackie Tyrrell and Eoin Larkin into his side for tomorrow’s M Donnelly Inter-provincial hurling final against Connacht at Pearse Stadium.

KEN McGRATH is set to make his first start for Waterford in the current National Hurling League campaign when the Decies make the long trip north to Portaferry to take on pointless Down, on Sunday.

PADRAIG BROWNE, who missed Limerick's easy 2A win over London last weekend because of studies, returns at left-corner back in place of Pat Ranahan for Sunday's visit to Donegal.

Ireland under 19s 6 Wales under 19s 31

Kilkenny 6-28 Offaly 0-15

Offaly 6-21 Carlow 4-7

THE three substitutes who inspired Cork to victory over Clare have been retained for Saturday’s second All-Ireland SFC qualifier with Fermanagh at Croke Park.

WEXFORD manager John Conran has given a vote of confidence to the side which defeated Kilkenny for Sunday’s Leinster SHC final against Offaly.

Offaly2-25 Dublin 1-13

Brendan Larkin and Michael Ellard

A goal in the dying seconds of injury time from right corner-forward Kieran Murphy of Sarsfields dramatically preserved Cork’s unbeaten run in Division 1 ‘B’ of the Allianz National Hurling League at Páirc Uí Chaoimh yesterday.

DAVID HOEY, Sean McMahon and Diarmuid McMahon look set to make their first Allianz NHL appearances with Clare this season when the Bannermen take on Galway in a top-of-the-table clash at Pearse Stadium on Sunday.

FORMER Clare hurling selector Tony Considine is being lined up to take over as manager of Limerick club Garryspillane.

ALL-IRELAND champions Kilkenny hit trouble at the double last night when the local senior hurling league semi-finals were played.

EOIN MURPHY and Peter Queally return to the Waterford team for Saturday’s Munster hurling championship semi-final replay against Limerick at Semple Stadium, Thurles.

Cork 2-24, Offaly 0-9

Offaly 2-17 Cork 1-17

PAUL FLYNN makes his first competitive appearance for Waterford since the All-Ireland semi final seven months ago in their crucial NHL tie against Galway at Pearse Stadium on Sunday.

Limerick 1-12

FERGAL HARTLEY and John Mullane return to inter-county action for the first time since Waterford’s defeat by Clare in last year’s All-Ireland semi-final when they line up in their regular centre back and corner forward berths respectively for Sunday’s Allianz League clash with Laois in Portlaoise.

Birr 0-15 Athenry 0-6

MAYO manager John Maughan introduces three newcomers for Sunday’s NFL tie with Sligo in Castlebar.

Cork 2-21 Birr 1-17 Brendan Larkin NEW Cork coach Donal O’Grady has pledged to give every hurler on the pre-season panel the opportunity to prove himself.