Roscommon have made four changes to their side for this Sunday's Connacht semi-final against Galway.

Clare have brought Barry Nugent into their side, in a straight swap for the injured Andrew Quinn, for Sunday's Munster SHC semi-final against Cork (Semple Stadium, throw-in 4pm).

CLARE have made just one change from the side that lost to Cork in last season’s Guinness All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship semi-final for Sunday’s Muster duel with their conquerors of nine months ago at Semple Stadium, Thurles.

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).

FINN HARPS could yet produce a Houdini-style escape from relegation from the eircom League Premier Division thanks to Saturday night’s shock 5-0 dismissal of Longford Town in Ballybofey.

Clare 1-20 Wexford 0-12

Kilkenny 1-08 Clare 2-13

Clare 1-16 Laois 2-11

TOMORROW’S Clare SHC Final at Cusack Park could be pitched as the battle of the has-beens versus the wannabes.

THE Ulster Unionist Party must put its own house in order or face political extinction, a party strategist warned last night.

Shelbourne youngsters Derek Pender and Alan Murphy have joined Dundalk on loan until the end of the season as part of a seven-man influx of players to the first division side.

IT was only yesterday, wasn’t it? 1995, closing minutes of the Munster championship first round, Clare battling like hell to close the narrow gap on Cork.

TIPPERARY have made four changes from the side which lost to Clare for their crunch Allianz NHL tie with Galway at Semple Stadium, Thurles, on Sunday.

IT may only be the League, but there is still the promise of a cracking game at Cusack Park tomorrow when the hurlers of Clare and Tipperary renew their age old rivalry.

TYRONE footballer Stephen O’Neill and Kerry’s Eamon Fitzmaurice will each miss Sunday week’s Allianz National Football League semi-finals.

A senior Ulster Unionist tonight claimed two former Assembly colleagues had failed to persuade others in the party to join them in defecting to the rival DUP.

Ulster Unionists want the party to unite in the run-up to this June’s European Parliament elections, the party’s candidate Jim Nicholson claimed today.

Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble today challenged his internal critics to accept victory in a leadership contest.

Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble today defeated another challenge from his internal critics at a meeting of the party’s ruling council.

Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble will continue to face calls to stand down even if he wins today’s leadership battle, South Antrim MP David Burnside claimed today.

Ulster Unionists were preparing today to vote on whether David Trimble should remain as their leader.

A second candidate has put his name forward to challenge David Trimble for the leadership of the Ulster Unionist Party this Saturday.

The Ulster Unionist planning to challenge David Trimble for the party leadership has written to 13 UUP MLAs seeking support for his campaign.

An Ulster Unionist who is bidding to oust David Trimble from the party leadership urged 13 Assembly members today to back his challenge.

David Trimble is to face a leadership challenge in eight days, it emerged today.

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.

Clare boss Anthony Daly has named experienced defender Frank Lohan up front for the Banner's NHL opener this weekend.

IF the tickets are as rare as they say they are, then the discerning hurling fans of Cork and Waterford are obviously anticipating a classic Munster final in Thurles tomorrow.

WITH all due respect to Kingdom folk, few would argue that Limerick received the plum draw in the All-Ireland hurling qualifiers when their name came out of the hat opposite Kerry’s three weeks ago.

FORMER Kilkenny All-Ireland winning captain Denis Byrne has been handed the number 14 jersey on the Tipperary team for Saturday’s qualifier against Laois in Portlaoise.

DONAL O’GRADY understands and appreciates why the Cork supporters were so euphoric after Sunday’s impressive victory in the Guinness Munster hurling semi-final.

CLARE manager Cyril Lyons was decent and approachable as ever, but there was no disguising his disappointment, his hurt, at what was a demoralising comedown from the high of a couple of weeks ago.

SEVEN weeks ago, in Cusack Park, the Cork hurlers defeated Clare by a goal, having been eight points clear nearing the end.

CLARE captain Sean McMahon’s place at centre-back in the Clare team will be taken by Clarecastle’s Conor Plunkett for Sunday’s Guinness Munster hurling semi-final against Cork in Thurles (4.15).

CORK senior hurling coach Donal O’Grady is concerned about the fitness of centre back Ronan Curran as he prepares for the Munster SHC semi-final against Clare on June 8.

FOR Clare selector Louis Mulqueen, following Sunday’s emphatic Munster senior hurling championship win over neighbours Tipperary, it was very much a case of mixed emotions.

OLLIE MORAN is almost certain to miss out on Limerick’s Munster SHC semi-final showdown against champions Waterford at Semple Stadium on Sunday week.

Clare hurling boss Cyril Lyons has reshuffled his deck ahead of Sunday's NHL clash with Tipperary in Ennis.

Clare have made two changes to their side for this weekend's National Hurling League game against All-Ireland champions Kilkenny.

The Apprentice Boys have joined the Orange Order in boycotting meetings with the Parades Commission over allegations that confidential information was passed to the IRA.

Clarecastle 0-12 St. Joseph’s Doora-Barefield 1-7

FOR no more than a ten-minute period at the start of the second half was there any uncertainty about Kilkenny adding the Guinness All-Ireland hurling championship to their League title.