Clonakilty and St Nicholas have built up a tremendous rivalry and at Brinny on Saturday night they added to it in a hugely entertaining SFC second round tie that hung in the balance for most of the 62 minutes played.

THEIR season began on a low note in Rosscarbery when they suffered a first-round reversal, but Clonakilty enjoyed happier times on their return to the same venue yesterday.

TWO of the most high-profile candidates in the race for the presidency suffered setbacks yesterday when they were snubbed by local authorities.

BARRY O’MAHONY is currently in the throes of his Leaving Cert, but he took time off from study yesterday to help Clonakilty through the back door and get their Cork SFC challenge back on track in an entertaining game at Ballinspittle.

O’Donovan Rossa 1-14 Clonakilty 2-9 (AET)

THEIR season may have culminated at the quarter-final stage last season but Nemo Rangers have issued a powerful response in 2010.

They may have been workmanlike against Aghada in the last round, but Clonakilty displayed their championship credentials with a master-class in front of goal in yesterday’s entertaining Evening Echo Cork Co SFC quarterfinal at Kilmurry.

Labour and some independents have started to claim some of the seats in the local elections in Waterford, Dublin, Kildare and Galway.

GALWAY is throwing a party like only it can this week and local election candidates are capitalising on the good mood across town hosting the Volvo Ocean Race.

GALWAY CITY is unusual. There are the PDs riding high in the national polls with a vertigo-inducing 3% or 4%.

THE confirmation of Galway’s gateway status was an open secret so the celebrations have been short-lived.

All the main cities across the country have had new Lord Mayors elected to the city councils.