Galway 1-19 Laois 0-16: A first-half goal from Joseph Cooney proved crucial as Galway advanced to the semi-finals of the Walsh Cup.

Dolphin 19 Ballynahinch 35: Dolphin coach David Corkery was far from impressed after watching his charges capitulate to a strong Ballynahinch at Musgrave Park on Saturday.

UCC 15 Dolphin 25: Dolphin gave their Ulster Bank League Division 1B survival hopes a huge boost with a victory over UCC at the Mardyke last night.

Cavan’s Jonathan Pringle (Ford Escort) and co-driver James Fulton took a controlled victory on the Midleton-based Imokilly Rally, round four of the PlasticBags.ie Southern 4 Rally Championship.

The Connacht team bus will leave the Sportsground shortly after noon today for The Strand Hotel in Limerick where the players and management will have a light meal, run through their plans for the match and then head for Thomond Park. 

Tbilisi could prove the unlikely stepping stone for several players aiming to play their way into Joe Schmidt’s World Cup plans.

James Cronin and Stephen Archer will get their opportunity to show national coach Joe Schmidt that they can be relied upon for the World Cup after both Munster props were selected for the Emerging Ireland squad.

Former teammates of Jim McCarthy, the Grand Slam-winning Irish rugby international, have paid tribute to their colleague’s dedication to the game, after his death this week at the age of 90.

Rugby is mourning another of its finest sons as Ireland, Munster and Lions star Jim McCarthy died yesterday, aged 90.

Dolphin 28 Ballynahinch 35 

There are fixtures across a range of competitions this weekend. The big games are in the Munster Junior Cup where a number of the favourites eye progression to the quarter-finals.

University College Dublin won a thrilling Ulster Bank League Division 1A clash with leaders Lansdowne at Belfield on Saturday to maintain their challenge to finish in the top four.

Former Dolphins full-back Rob Konrad calls the 16-hour-swim he endured after falling off his recreational boat a "boater’s nightmare."

Dolphin 34 UCD 15: In a week when Munster announced the departure of its brightest young talent, JJ Hanrahan, the province’s head coach Anthony Foley may not have to look too far to nurture another burgeoning tyro.

Dolphin 12 Young Munster 11

Cork Constitution 17 Dolphin 6

Division One A: Dolphin 6 Lansdowne 13

UL Bohemian 36 Dolphin 22

In rugby’s professional era, the public perception of the Munster Senior Challenge Cup would be quite different to the view within the clubs.

Dolphin 6 Cork Constitution 6

From domestic club league to the World Cup in the autumn, expect this lot to be making rugby headlines this year, says Gavin Howarth.

Motorsport: A strong performance over the first run of the stage paved the way for Lisburn’s Wesley Patterson (Ford Escort) and his co-driver Johnny Baird to claim victory in the Cloyne-based AceSigns-sponsored Imokilly Single Stage Rally.

Ireland will hope to complete a clean sweep against Scottish opposition when the international clubs sides clash at Temple Hill on Friday (7.30pm).

The economic recovery will falter if the British Government fails to deal with the rising level of household debt, a leading think-tank has warned.

ULSTER BANK AIL DIVISION 1A:

Dolphin 15 Clontarf 21

Shannon 31 Dolphin 29

Dolphin 15 St Mary’s College 10

Darren Sweetnam had a tinge of regret last Saturday as he contemplated a lost opportunity when Cork took to the field for the All-Ireland final.

ULSTER BANK LEAGUE:

Reigning champions Lansdowne were warned that life could be tough in this season’s Ulster Bank League when they lost their seasonal opener at home to newcomers UCD on Saturday.

ULSTER BANK LEAGUE RESULTS:

Dolphin 6 Garryowen 15

Clontarf 26 Dolphin 31

Dolphin 32 Shannon 17

Dolphin 23 Young Munster 10

Dolphin 27 UL Bohemians 9

Young Munster 13 Dolphin 10

Young Munster 13 Dolphin 10

Fergus Aherne doesn’t get back to his old Musgrave Park stomping ground much these days, but there is plenty to make him feel at home when he does.