Ballinora 3-12 Kiskeam 0-13 (AET)

Limerick begin the defence of their Munster MHC title at the Gaelic Grounds tonight (7pm) against Tipperary, the county they beat in last year’s semi-final (1-17 to 0-17) en-route to claiming a first minor provincial crown since 1984.

Fermoy 2-11 Ballinora 4-03

Ballinora 1-11 Kinsale 1-10

In the pursuit of excellence, sportspeople make extraordinary sacrifices.

Tipperary have named an unchanged starting side for Sunday’s All-Ireland SHC semi-final clash with Kilkenny, but the major talking point is the inclusion of Toomevara’s John O’Brien at full-forward. O’Brien’s brother Thomas passed away earlier this week.

Two straight wins has earned St Michael’s a Cork Premier IFC quarter-final meeting with Kinsale or Clyda Rovers.

A tally of 3-2 from full-forward Conor Murphy re-ignited Ballinora’s Cork Premier IFC ambitions as they saw off Mayfield at Ballincollig on Saturday.

Carrigaline 2-9 Ballinora 1-9

Joe Canning led the way as a youthful Galway side edged out Limerick in a senior hurling challenge match at Athenry on Saturday evening.

Galway 0-16 Waterford 1-14

Stephen McDonnell and Eoin Cadogan have been brought back into the Cork defence by manager Jimmy Barry-Murphy for Sunday’s Division 1A hurling league tie against Kilkenny in Páirc Uí Chaoimh, as his team attempts to bounce back from last Sunday’s defeat to Galway.

Galway 2-17 Cork 2-13

Damien Cahalane will make his senior league debut for Cork in Sunday’s Division 1 clash with Galway in Páirc Uí Chaoimh as manager Jimmy Barry-Murphy makes four changes from the team that defeated Dublin in Croke Park last Sunday.

Tipperary 2-20 Galway 2-18

Eoin Cadogan will return from injury to make his first appearance of the year on Sunday for Jimmy Barry-Murphy’s Cork hurling side after being named at left half-back in the side to face Dublin in the Allianz Hurling League Division 1A clash in Croke Park.

As the all-Galway Connacht team took the field in sunny Nowlan Park for this M Donnelly Interprovincial Championship hurling final yesterday, they passed under a sign in their dressing-room which stated, in bold red lettering, win, win, win.

Cork senior hurling selector Seanie McGrath says Seán Óg Ó hAilpín has “trained superbly” since returning to the Rebels squad and will be expected to help his rookie midfield partner, Darren Sweetnam, through tomorrow’s Allianz HL opener against Waterford.

An injury to talisman Joe Canning took the gloss off Limerick IT’s impressive Fitzgibbon Cup quarter-final victory in Moylish yesterday.

In the first 15 minutes of this Fitzgibbon Cup clash at the DCU Sportsground yesterday, GMIT displayed the form that has many rating them dark-horses for glory this year.

UCC earned a much-coveted home Fitzgibbon Cup quarter-final by remaining cool under pressure to secure victory at Carnmore.

NEW Galway hurling boss Anthony Cunningham has dropped one third of the team which started the All-Ireland quarter-final against Waterford this year in a massive clear-out.

THEY may have missed out on the trip of a lifetime to Australia, but Mark Kerins couldn’t be happier to have another Galway hurling final to look forward to.

WHEN the Galway U21 hurling team bus approaches Semple Stadium for this evening’s Bord Gáis Energy All-Ireland semi-final against Limerick, it will awaken plenty of memories for David Burke.

NEWMARKET proved too strong for Ballinora in yesterday’s Cork Premier IFC fourth round clash at Macroom, but will have to wait for their quarter-final opponents as the second of the double headers ended in stalemate between Kiskeam and Naomh Abán.

Galway 1-14 Tipperary 4-23, Pearse Stadium, Allianz Hurling League

DUBLIN football defender Kevin Nolan says he and his team-mates train as hard as Premier League footballers.

Cork 1-20 Galway 1-17

UCC were much too good for their GMIT hosts at Carnmore, Galway yesterday, but whether they are good enough to collect their 41st Fitzgibbon Cup title remains to be seen.

Galway 1-24 Wexford 0-06, Pearse Stadium

CORK manager Denis Walsh has introduced defensive newcomers Stephen McDonnell and Mark Ellis to his team for their Allianz Division 1 Hurling League match with Offaly at Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Sunday. Glen Rovers player McDonnell gets the nod at right corner-back while Millstreet hurler Ellis will line out at centre-back.

GMIT’s encouraging Fitzgibbon Cup campaign continued at Innisfalls GAA Club yesterday where they beat UUJ. and set up a quarter-final meeting next Tuesday with UCC.

Tipperary 5-22 Galway 0-12

DUBLIN boss Richie Stakelum has drafted David Quinn and Ciaran Brennan into his team for tomorrow’s Bord Gais Energy All-Ireland U21HC semi-final against Galway in Tullamore.

TOMMY DUNNE admitted last night he was concerned about Cork City FORAS Co-Op’s lack of firepower after they stumbled to a slender victory over struggling Salthill Devon.

THREE goals in the opening 21 minutes paved the way for UCC to get their Fitzgibbon Cup ambitions back on track at a bitterly cold Ardrahan in south Co Galway yesterday.

STEPHEN KENNY was left to rue what he described as an “outrageous” penalty decision that sent Cork City on their way to a vital victory in the race for a Europa League spot at Turner’s Cross last night.

SETANTA CUP champions Cork City put financial strife to one side on Saturday, Joe Gamble’s first-half tap-in proving the difference between the embattled Leesiders and their plucky Belfast opponents.

UNLESS you’re a supporter of either of these clubs, the best you could hope for from a night dedicated to player solidarity would have to be a draw.

JEFF KENNA has admitted to feeling the pressure as St Patrick’s Athletic slipped to a seventh defeat in eight matches when showing little resistance on Saturday night against a Cork City side who notched their biggest win of the season.

Cork City 1 Galway 0

TIPPERARY bid to get their title challenge back on track against Antrim in this afternoon’s All-Ireland MHC quarter-final, (Mullingar, 3.15pm).