You might think the break in action would do Shane Dowling the world of good, but you'd be mistaken, writes John Fogarty.

Three prison officers have lost their separate High Court challenges related to internal transfers and bullying allegations within the Irish Prison Service.

The judges said that Dowling's performance with his partner Laura Nolan was lacking attack, impact and "a little something extra".

Clongowes Wood College will face Castleknock College in the Leinster Schools Senior Cup semi-final after they ran in eight tries to get the better of St Gerard’s, Bray at Donnybrook

The Stillorgan gaelscoil were deserving winners as they withstood a brave second-half comeback from Kilkenny CBS.

Fáilte Ireland has appointed two well-known business leaders as non-executive members of its board.

It is part of lore now how a deputation of Wexford hurlers took a bus trip down to Clare around this time last year to exhort Davy Fitzgerald to remain at the helm as manager and along-awaited Leinster title resulted.

This is not a column about VAR. I promise. Well, not really. It’s about hurling, and how it appears to be intent on destroying itself. By bringing in VAR. Wait, wait, don’t run away!

Michael Moynihan has rung all the juries, collated all the votes, and accepted all the bribes.

Borrowers shouldn’t hold their breath for Irish banks to cut mortgage rates by any great extent despite the ECB being widely-tipped to cut some official rates next month, a leading broker has said.

Mission accomplished. At least for one day. James Sugrue achieved what he set out to do on his maiden round at The Open Championship by not shooting himself out of it after 18 holes.

Bank of Ireland said its offer of a 0.2% discount for ‘green’ mortgage borrowers to upgrade their homes will incentivise homeowners to install energy insulation and help the fight against climate change.

Fail to lift the Munster title this Sunday and Limerick are unlikely to retain their All-Ireland crown, former Treaty defender Stephen McDonagh has insisted.

Eight fire salamanders and a natterjack toad were intercepted by Customs officers in Dublin in recent months.

The snake, named Sammi by rescuers, is described as “hanging in there” but it is still very uncertain as to whether she will pull through.

The ISPCA has been forced to set up temporary dog kennels at its Co Cork equine centre due to an increase in dog cruelty cases and a crackdown on rogue puppy farmers.

The ISPCA handled a record 17,338 calls about animal cruelty last year with its staff carrying out 3,494 inspections and taking 1,102 animals into care.

The Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ISPCA) has warned that the organisation needs more funding to cope with the increase in animal cruelty cases reported last year.

The examiner appointed to Dublin’s largest opticians chain has been granted an extension of 30 days by Judge Jacqueline Linnane to allow further time to form a scheme aimed at saving the company.

Six greyhounds and their assigned clubs will take to the traps with glory in their sights in the final of the Con and Annie Kirby Memorial Stake 2019 this Saturday at Limerick Greyhound Stadium.

The former and founding chairperson of the Personal Injuries Board, Dorothea Dowling, and her cousin Gráinne O'Flynn, are contesting the alleged last will of their aunt Angela O'Loughlin, the High Court has heard.

Last weekend, Limerick’s Shane Dowling nudged David Dempsey as the National Hurling League final unfurled before them.

A total of 14 women who were in An Grianán training centre post-1980 and worked in the attached High Park Magdalene laundry in Dublin have yet to receive a provisional offer for redress from Mr Flanagan’s department.

That Kilkenny is the only other county in the past 30 years to back up an All-Ireland final win with a hurling league title the following spring tells you the path which this Limerick group are forging for themselves.

New mortgage lender Finance Ireland has signalled its plan to make a splash in the market by matching the lowest variable and fixed-rate mortgages from the large banks.

Limerick posted a predictably straightforward victory in this Allianz Hurling League Division One quarter-final on Saturday evening.

Emotions ran high at Powerstown Park as the 94th national coursing meeting came to a close, the owners of both classic winners overcome by it all as they drank in their success.

Red and black were the colours on the trophy yesterday as Ballygunner made it a first Munster club senior hurling title since 2001, an emotional victory for the Waterford men. They had lost to yesterday’s opponents, Na Piarsaigh of Limerick, twice at this stage in the previous three years, and their determination to break that series of defeats was clear in Semple Stadium.

Ballygunner joint-captain and goalkeeper Stephen O’Keeffe was frank after yesterday’s Munster club win, admitting it was “hard to sum up”.

Ballygunner were crowned Munster hurling club champions in Semple Stadium, the Waterford side collecting a historic first title since 2001.

A couple of momentary mental lapses couldn’t stop reigning Limerick and Munster champions Na Piarsaigh reaching a seventh Limerick senior final in 10 seasons.

"You talk about complacency" — Tommy Walsh

Home buyers have been warned off buying fixed-rate mortgages of two or three years because borrowers will likely be exposed as the ECB starts hiking rates by the end of next year, a leading expert has said.

By last Wednesday, John Meyler needed to rinse away the weekend. Extra-time. Defeat to Limerick. The long hours on the motorway back from Croke Park.

At the end of the match yesterday, I shook hands with Dave Punch, the former Limerick hurler, who works for RTÉ. He asked me if I saw the attendance. I did, I said — 71,000. Dave corrected me. ‘No, Dalo, 71,073.’