Galway hurlers are likely to be boosted by the return of Daithí and David Burke in time for their NHL clash with All-Ireland champions Tipperary next week, but Shane O’Neill is planning without the services of Joseph Cooney and John Hanbury for the foreseeable future.

A huge first-quarter display from the Tralee school was ultimately what secured them victory.

In time, this may be revered in North Tipperary as The Battle of Broken Hurley but Borris-Ileigh have no time to reflect right now as a first All-Ireland final in 33 years awaits them on Sunday week.

Maher scored a stunning late point with a broken hurley as Borris-Ileigh finished stronger.

On the eve of the roaring twenties, John Fogarty hails the doyens of the last decade in hurling

Fintan Burke looks set to follow his cousin David Burke into the Galway senior team and the strength and resilience he will bring has been illustrated by his remarkable recovery from a cruciate injury on St Patrick’s Day to help inspire St Thomas’ to their third county title in four years on Sunday.

Trailing by 0-11 to 0-7 at the break, Thomas’ won the second period by 1-6 to 0-3, but it wasn’t until the final 12 minutes of the half that the Thomas’ display really sparked to life.

St Thomas have won all three county finals they have played in — having only made it to their first decider in 2012 — and they will go into a repeat of last year’s Galway SHC showdown against Liam Mellows as favourites in two weeks’time to retain the title for the first time.

Reigning champions St Thomas will meet Turloughmore in the semi-finals of the Galway SHC, while last year’s runners-up Liam Mellows will take on Cappataggle following the quarter-finals at the weekend.

Ten years ought to constitute a sufficient sample size for undertakings such as these and in the present instance it does. It was not a difficult team to pick, nor should it have been.

Galway have been sensationally dumped out of the All-Ireland hurling championship after a remarkable evening at Parnell Park that saw Dublin pull off a famous Leinster SHC win.

David ‘Stoney’ Burke turns, attention broken. He has a big hurling occasion to mind from between the posts. But the voice is familiar, all too familiar. He scans the bank of wheelchairs at the back of Croke Park’s Hill 16 goal.

Summer certainly hasn’t started temperature-wise but from a refereeing perspective it did yesterday. The games in Cavan and Kilkenny swung the Championship into life.

It was the first time that the Cats were beaten in the Championship on home soil since 1949.

There has been no wielding of the axe by the Clare management in the wake of last weekend’s 13-point hammering at the hands of Tipperary, with the team named for tomorrow’s game against Limerick showing just one change in personnel.

Galway hurling captain David Burke says the team must bring their training ground form to Nowlan Park this Sunday.

When five minutes went up on the board yesterday, I said to Brendan Cummins that a draw would be the fairest result.

A sterling second-half comeback from Wexford earned the visitors to Salthill a share of the spoils in this error-ridden Leinster SHC clash.

Dale's father said he “couldn’t believe that my son was left unrecognisable in the bed, that one human being could do that to another".

Martin Kavanagh fired 11 points for Carlow, but he was unable to get them over the line for victory as Galway claimed the win in their Leinster SHC opener at Pearse Stadium.

Galway hurlers have received a timely boost with Joseph Cooney marking his return from Australia by turning in a superb performance for his club Sarsfields at the weekend.

Sunday’s league semi-final will tell Galway manager Micheál Donoghue whether the fringe players he has persisted with throughout the spring are capable of making an impact come championship, according to former Galway forward Niall Healy.

Ballyhale Shamrocks are AIB All-Ireland club SHC winners for a record seventh time after a power-packed Croke Park display proved far too much for an overwhelmed St Thomas'.

In a game like this, the inches all count.

Defender David Sherry was the toast of St Thomas' after popping up with a remarkable winning point five minutes into stoppage time at Parnell Park.

St Thomas’ claimed their third Galway SHC title with the largest winning margin in nine seasons as Darragh Burke inspired them to a memorable victory at Pearse Stadium.

The front of the Limerick Leader supplement got the tone pitch-perfect, its message as neatly manicured as one of those deliveries from the half-back line for Aaron Gillane or Seamus Flanagan to feast on.

Galway and Limerick have both named their starting lineups ahead of this Sunday's All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship Final at Croke Park.

YESTERDAY’S events in Thurles told us more about a man who wasn’t on the field than one who was. If anybody was in doubt about the Westmeath man taking charge of the All-Ireland final, they aren’t now.

Are we now the best little country in the world at rejecting a narrative? Bursting bubbles might be the true people’s game.

Some hurling matches resonate far more than others, with a draw doubly eloquent.

Where to start with this enthralling weekend? It was unbelievable in so many ways. To have two outstandingly exciting All-Ireland semi-finals one after the other. Referees get just as thrilled about these days too.

Over the last while, I’ve been listening to Alan O’Mara’s excellent podcast ‘Real Talks’.

Yesterday was a day for hurling referees to step up to the mark and both James McGrath and Fergal Horgan did just that, in Semple Stadium and Croke Park.

Call it as it was. Last day out against Galway, Kilkenny were pretty much crushed, writes PM O’Sullivan.

Galway 0-26 Dublin 2-19

Dublin nearly stunned the All-Ireland champions in Salthill but Paul Winters two second-half goals were not enough to edge victory for Pat Gilroy’s side in Pearse Stadium.

For Pearse Stadium and Cusack Park, the wait is over.

Was last weekend’s hurling a tale of two flicks?

Galway manager Micheál Donoghue wasn’t best pleased with the performance of referee Cathal McAllister.

Jason Flynn's 1-9 haul eased All-Ireland title holders Galway to an anticipated victory at Parnell Park, setting up an Allianz hurling league promotion shoot-out with Limerick next weekend.

David Burke will bid to play himself into the annals of Galway GAA after it was confirmed he will continue as captain of the hurlers as they try to retain the All-Ireland title.

The moment when Galway manager Micheál Donoghue met his father Miko for the first time after their All-Ireland hurling final victory over Waterford, as captured by Morgan Treacy of Inpho, has been selected as the Irish Examiner sports desk's picture of the year.