Avondhu got the better of Muskerry in the Cork County SHC(Divisions/Colleges section) first round at Cloughduv last night.

GENERALLY viewed as deceased the world over, it turns out romance is actually alive, and may be seen, living and breathing, in a small town off the main Cork-Waterford road.

THROUGHOUT the year Carrigtwohill have been confounding expectations, so why should yesterday be different?

THE wheel has come full circle. When Cork IT took their first tentative steps into Cork senior hurling championship waters back in 2001, it was a grim experience.

REACHING your first county senior hurling final is a day to cherish and Cork IT did that in style in Páirc Uí Chaoimh yesterday.

FR O’NEILL’S had to call on all of their experience to book a place in the Cork IHC final where they will meet either St Catherine’s or Bandon.

Cork IT 1-16 Bride Rovers 2-10

SEANIE O’CONNELL proved the scoring hero for Milford last night as his 58th minute point was a match winner when they advanced past Barryroe at Páirc Uí Rinn.

MILFORD ended Fermoy’s IHC title ambitions on Saturday night after they edged the north Cork side in a tough, stuttering 60-minute encounter at Kildorrery.

Three-time All-Star Ronan Curran has been named in the Cork team for Saturday's All-Ireland SHC third phase qualifier against Galway at the Gaelic Grounds (throw-in 4pm).

Cork manager Denis Walsh has tweaked his starting line-up for Saturday's All-Ireland SHC second phase qualifier against Offaly at Páirc Uí Chaoimh (throw-in 2.30pm).

The Cork team to play Laois in Saturday's All-Ireland SHC qualifier at O'Moore Park (throw-in 3pm) has been announced.

Glen Rovers clubman Stephen McDonnell has been handed the number 2 jersey for Cork's Munster SHC quarter-final against Tipperary in Thurles on Sunday (throw-in 4pm).

CORK hurling manager Denis Walsh has rang the changes for his sides Allianz HL clash with Dublin at Páirc Ui Chaoimh tomorrow with 10 changes from the side surprisingly beaten away to Wexford a fortnight ago.

A TALE of two halves in Wexford Park yesterday — the best of times for Wexford and the worst for Cork, as the Slaneysiders overturned an eight-point deficit to storm to victory.

CORK captain Shane O’Neill will complete his comeback from injury when he makes his first appearance of the year in Sunday’s trip to the south-east to face Wexford in Division 1 of the Allianz Hurling League.

TIPPERARY manager Declan Ryan has handed last year’s All-Ireland U21 medal winner John Coghlan his first senior start for Sunday’s Allianz Division 1 Hurling League tie against Galway in Pearse Stadium.

IT’S A big weekend on the Allianz Hurling League front. In the first division especially, six teams are still in with a chance of making the final and all involved in games against each other, while the remaining two teams – Wexford and Offaly – meet in what will probably be the relegation decider.

CORK boss Denis Walsh placed several of the county’s upcoming talents under the microscope in Passage West yesterday and was rewarded with a thoroughly convincing victory in a senior hurling challenge against Clare.

Waterford 0-18 Cork 0-17

CORK’S team for the short trip east to Dungarvan to play Waterford on Sunday shows three changes to the side that started in last weekend’s win over Galway.

THEY may have been safely ensconced in the Fitzgibbon Cup quarter-finals before throw-in, but that did not impinge on Cork IT’s focus against Dublin IT yesterday.

DESPITE horrendous weather conditions at floodlit Mourneabbey on Saturday, Cork and Clare still served up a decent game in this senior hurling challenge ahead of the commencement of the league next weekend.

DOUGLAS will compete in the semi-finals of the Evening Echo Cork SHC for the first time in their history after they pipped Cork IT by a point after extra-time in a thrilling quarter-final at Páirc Uí Rinn last night.

Singer-songwriter Damien Dempsey today called on artists around the world to stand in solidarity with the people of Palestine.

Sinn Féin's Dáil leader Caoimhghin O Caolain has called on Taoiseach Brian Cowen to initiate a trade boycott of Israel at national and EU level.

TOM KENNY and Eoin Cadogan have shaken off injury worries to make the Cork starting side for Sunday’s Munster SHC quarter-final in Páirc Uí Chaoimh, as manager Denis Walsh makes three personnel and three positional changes for the clash against Tipperary.

Eoin Cadogan and Tom Kenny are on course to start for Cork in Sunday's much-anticipated Munster SHC quarter-final against Tipperary at Pairc Ui Chaoimh (throw-in 4pm).

CORK hurler Patrick Horgan has allayed fears that he is in danger of missing the county’s upcoming first-round clash with Tipperary in the Munster SHC due to a shoulder injury.

A FANTASTIC league final in Thurles yesterday, and great credit to the players on both teams for that, but the first people I want to talk about here are the Galway management team of John McIntyre, John Moylan, John Hardiman and Joe Connolly.

NOT A good day for southern reds all round, then.

IF this is a sign of things to come later in the summer, bring it on!

Galway 2-22 Cork 1-17

TO MOST national hurling observers, Cork’s new full-back Eoin Dillon for tomorrow’s NHL Division One final against Galway is something of an unknown but the Milford player has impressive underage credentials.

IT’S always been said that the National League is a secondary competition; well now we know that is true.

Milford clubman Eoin Dillon has been named at full-back in the Cork team for Sunday's Allianz NHL Division 1 final against Galway at Semple Stadium (throw-in 7pm).

CORK defender Ronan Curran has no qualms with the controversial timing of this weekend’s NHL Division 1 final but admits that it will pose difficulties for supporters.

THE dream of a second consecutive hurling Grand Slam for Kilkenny died an early death in Fraher Field, Dungarvan, on Saturday.

CORK finally got something from what must be considered a hugely disappointing season for the county when their intermediate hurlers took the Munster championship title with consummate ease at Páirc Uí Chaoimh last night.

JOHN GARDINER last night admitted that Cork are aware that people want them to fail following their winter stand-off, as they prepare for Sunday’s Munster SHC quarter-final against Tipperary.

A POWERFUL and consummate display propelled UL past the challenge of Cork IT in yesterday’s Ulster Bank Fitzgibbon Cup semi-final in the Clan na nGael Fontenoy club in Ringsend.

AFTER the exuberance of last weekend when they landed a first Sigerson Cup title, Cork IT will be chasing a double dream when they contest today’s Fitzgibbon Cup semi-final against UL.