THE hurlers of Effin have come a very long way in a very short time. Last year the small rural Limerick outfit claimed their first adult county title with junior hurling championship success.

OVER the past five years they have watched neighbours either side of the Cork-Limerick border rise to senior stardom.

A BAD-tempered start to this Harty Cup quarter-final in Tipperary Town yesterday, two players – John Fitzgibbon (Árd Scoil) and Seamus Kennedy (Thurles) — booked before even before throw-in.

IT might have been a little too close for comfort at the finish, but nothing could detract from Na Piarsaigh’s achievement in winning through to their first Live95fm Limerick Senior Hurling Championship final at the fourth attempt in the Gaelic Grounds yesterday.

THERE’S a book going to hit your shelves in a few weeks’ time, ‘Unlimited Heartbreak’, by Henry Martin — it should be made compulsory reading for every Limerick hurling supporter.

CHAMPIONS Adare eased to a Limerick SHC first round win when defeating Knockainey, 3-14 to 0-9.

LIMERICK bid to salvage something from a season that has gone horribly wrong when their intermediate hurlers clash with Tipperary in the Munster final at Thurles tonight.

A credit card counterfeiting gang was interrupted by gardaí in the process of making cards at a house in Cork city for use in ATM machines, it was claimed on the opening day of a trial today.

TIPPERARY have named five members of last year’s Munster U21 HC winning side for tonight’s provincial semi-final against Limerick at the Gaelic Grounds.

Cork 2-9 Limerick 0-13

Limerick 4-24 Kerry 0-2