A few things are bothering me about this All-Ireland final and they revolve around the complaints coming from Antrim about playing the game in Thurles and their fans feeling slighted again.

Player power was the reason behind Waterford manager Michael Ryan’s decision yesterday not to seek a third season in charge.

Not one harsh sending-off but two, that was the response of Kilcormac-Killoughey manager Danny Owens to the red cards his midfielders, Killian Leonard and Damien Kilmartin, received in yesterday’s AIB All-Ireland Club SHC final.

Kilcormac/Killoughey 2-16 St Rynagh’s 2-12

Dinny Cahill just ‘loves the buzz’.

There will new hurling champions in Offaly after All-Ireland club finalists Coolderry were comprehensively brushed aside by impressive St Rynagh’s in the quarter-final yesterday.

Antrim chiefs may well turn to a non-native to fill the vacant county hurling team-manager position, despite their experiences with Jerry Wallace.

A leading Antrim official has urged the county to appoint a manager instead of a coach to take charge of the senior hurlers.

Antrim senior hurling manager Jerry Wallace has offered his resignation to the County Board in the midst of their 2012 Championship campaign.

Eight years ago, the then Antrim boss, Dinny Cahill, made quite a stir ahead of their All-Ireland SHC quarter-final against Cork.

FORMER Tipperary coach Eamon O’Shea will not be part of any new Galway hurling management set-up.

Jerry Wallis has been charged with improving the fortunes of the Antrim senior hurling team following his appointment last night as their new manager.

Former Clare hurler Ollie Baker has been put forward as the new Offaly senior hurling manager, following a recommendation from the selection committee involved.

OLLIE BAKER is set to follow his former Clare All-Ireland-winning teammates Davy Fitzgerald and Anthony Daly into inter-county senior management, after being recommended by an Offaly County Board appointments committee to succeed Joe Dooley as the county’s new manager.

FORMER Limerick and Cork physical trainer Jerry Wallace has expressed his interest in the vacant Antrim hurling manager’s position.

Current Antrim Senior Hurling manager Dinny Cahill is being challenged for his position after two other nominations for the role were submitted.

JERRY WALLACE, physical trainer of the Limerick senior hurlers under now-departed manager Donal O’Grady, has emerged as a frontrunner to replace Dinny Cahill as Antrim senior hurling manager.

FOUR-time All-Ireland club champions Birr served notice of their intent when overwhelming reigning kingpins Coolderry by 1-16 to 0-10 in a one-sided fourth round encounter at Shinrone on Saturday.

Antrim 0-15 Armagh 2-7, Casement Park

Laois County Board chairman Brian Allen says they will have to adopt "a more long-term approach" for the county's next senior hurling manager.

LIMERICK took another small step on their road to redemption when they hammered 14-man Antrim by 19 points at Parnell Park last Saturday night to book an All-Ireland quarter-final date with Dublin.

A SIDELINE confrontation in this season’s NHL clash between Antrim and Limerick is motivating the Shannonsiders ahead of tomorrow’s All-Ireland qualifier clash in Parnell Park in Dublin.

CORK will meet Galway in the third round of the All-Ireland SHC qualifiers next weekend after yesterday’s draw and Rebel selector Jerry Ryan made no attempt to disguise the stakes on offer for both sides.

Antrim 2-20 Armagh 2-12, Casement Park

Antrim manager Dinny Cahill will test the depth of his squad when the Saffrons take on Armagh in Sunday's Ulster SHC final.

ANTRIM’S hurlers safely secured a place in the next phase of qualifiers with an eight-point win over Carlow at Casement Park on Saturday, but manager Dinny Cahill felt the level of performance wouldn’t be enough to get past the next round.

Antrim 0-23 Carlow 1-12

ANTRIM advanced through their All-Ireland SHC qualifier with Westmeath at Casement Park on Saturday night but the game was not as comfortable as the final score line would suggest.

ANTRIM manager Dinny Cahill has told his charges they have a chance to show their “true worth” after disappointing in the second-half of their Leinster SHC quarter-final defeat to Wexford.

The Ulster SHC final between Antrim and surprise finalists Armagh has been moved back a week due to Antrim's involvement in the All-Ireland qualifiers.

LAOIS hurlers got the short straw when they were paired with Cork in the opening game in the All-Ireland qualifier series on Saturday week, with team manager Brendan Fennelly admitting that “the only consolation” was a home game in Portlaoise.

Wexford 3-16 Antrim 1-11

Cormac Donnelly and Eddie McCloskey have been named in the Antrim team to face Wexford in Sunday's Leinster SHC quarter-final at Wexford Park (throw-in 3.30pm).

ANTRIM star Neil McManus doesn’t want Saturday’s Leinster SHC victory over Laois to be a one-off.

Laois 3-12 Antrim 1-21

THERE may be action earlier in the day in Ulster, but to the hurlers of Laois and Antrim falls the honour of kicking off the 2011 campaign for Liam MacCarthy.

ANTRIM hurling boss Dinny Cahill has handed out four championship debuts for Saturday’s Leinster SHC clash against Laois at Portlaoise (7pm).

WESTMEATH slumped into deep relegation trouble when they lost at home to Antrim by four points, having finished the game with just 13 players.

Antrim 0-10 Carlow 1-06

Kerry 0-12 Antrim 1-15, Tralee

ANTRIM:

The Derry County Board have announced that Ger Rogan has been appointed as the county's new senior and Under-21 hurling manager.

Antrim, Laois and DIT picked up wins in the Walsh Cup, while Armagh and Wicklow were victorious in the Kehoe Cup following today's hurling action across Leinster.