LANSDOWNE set the pace in the AIB Division Two campaign way back in October when they hammered Bruff, on their own patch.

ALL week leading into this match, the big question was which – if either – of these teams would be going all out for the win.

HONOURS even in Semple Stadium yesterday, with 6,665 people on hand for this entertaining draw in the NHL Division One.

If you’re an absolutely diehard Limerick hurling supporter, one of the dwindling few who were at the Gaelic Grounds yesterday for this NHL round four match, or if you were a Limerick county board official, or a member of the under-pressure management team, you could take the view that this defeat is actually a two-point improvement on the result of last August’s 24-point All-Ireland semi-final hammering by the same opposition, and you could suggest that Limerick hurling is still heading in the right direction.

A CLASSIC example of the game of two halves, one which embarrasses a Galway side unbeaten in the National Hurling League prior to yesterday and, conversely, endorses the undoubted potential of Tipperary.

ST MUNCHIN’S COLLEGE have come a long way since losing to Rockwell in the opening round of the Avonmore Munster Schools Cup. After being subjected to a hiding by a team that has now reached the decider, the Limerick side are on the cusp of joining them in the St Patrick’s Day showpiece.

ROCKWELL’S demolition of St Munchin’s in the last round of the Avonmore Munster Schools Senior Cup will be of serious concern to Ard Scoil Rís when the sides meet in a quarter-final clash at Clanwilliam this afternoon (3pm)

CRATLOE, competing in the Munster Club SHC for the first time, bowed out at the semi-final stage yesterday, losing a tight, tense, game to Ballygunner at Walsh Park.

THE gathering in Portlaoise at the weekend of elite hurlers and footballers who adorned the Leinster championships over the past quarter of a century was noteworthy for the imbalance in the number of All-Ireland medal-winners between the two teams.

ST MUNCHIN’S, with wins over a highly-rated CBC and Ard Scoil Ris, are favourites to advance against Rockwell in today’s Avonmore Milk Munster Schools Senior Cup semi-final at Clanwilliam Park (3pm).

PA JOY, who was introduced to the Kerry senior football championship by Laune Rangers this year, may have scored just one point for Intermediate School Killorglin in yesterday’s Corn Uí Mhuirí (Munster Colleges SFC) tie at Croagh but he engineered the decisive goal in this thrilling affair.

THERE can scarcely have been a more dramatic end to a hurling match that the one which occurred at Cusack Park last night.

LIMERICK bid to salvage something from a season that has gone horribly wrong when their intermediate hurlers clash with Tipperary in the Munster final at Thurles tonight.

A POINT by Mark O’Meara three minutes into injury time earned Tipperary a narrow victory over Limerick in a hugely entertaining Munster U21HC semi-final at Thurles last night.

CIARÁN CAREY, never one to back away from a challenge during his playing days, hopes to get Limerick hurling back on track in tonight’s Munster U21 semi-final in Semple Stadium (7.30pm).

DAVY FITZGERALD says he and his Waterford hurlers offered to go half-way to meet opponents Antrim in Saturday’s All-Ireland SHC qualifier.

Tipperary 1-21 Cork 0-17

EXTREMELY poor finishing cost Limerick dearly in Semple Stadium yesterday evening in this Munster minor football semi-final.

WHEN the AIL’s most prolific attack faced the most suffocating defence, something had to give, in this Division Three final in Donnybrook on Saturday.

WITHOUT ever having to move into top gear, Tipperary dismissed Waterford’s feeble challenge and advanced to the semi-final of the Munster minor football championship at windswept Fraher Field, Dungarvan, last night.

IT’S a very social club, is Bruff RFC, and that was much in evidence at last Saturday’s vital AIL division 3 match against promotion rivals Queens University, from Belfast.

BRENDAN DEADY brought the AIB League Division Three trophy back to Kilballyowen Park on Saturday night and dedicated the famous win to Bruff player/coach Eoin Cahill.

BY their own admission, Cork Constitution got out of jail and sneaked through to the AIB League final against old rivals Garryowen at Musgrave Park next Saturday.

Cashel 12 Nenagh Ormond 3

GALWAY are chasing a hat-trick in tomorrow’s ESB All-Ireland MHC final against Tipperary in Croke Park (1.30).

A finely-tuned Tipperary side had little difficulty in disposing of Limerick in the ESB Munster MHC semi-final at Semple Stadium last night and set up a final meting with Cork on the last Sunday in June.

CARBERY RANGERS got their first season in senior ranks off to the perfect start at Aughaville last night, defeating Bantry in the opening round of the Evening Echo Cork Co SFC in a bruising contest.

Tipperary 2-13 Clare 1-8

Glenville 0-14 Carbery Rangers 0-4

JOE KERNAN has made three changes in the Armagh line-out to face Meath in Sunday’s Allianz League clash in Navan.

Waterford IT 1-16 University of Limerick 2-3

Midleton CBS 2-13 Our Lady’s, Templemore 2-8

UL/Bohemian 18 St Mary’s College 14

Our Lady’s Templemore 1-10 Carrigaline CS 0-13