Bruce had a cabbage thrown at him before last night's game.

Laois 4-13 Westmeath 1-12

John Sugrue would have had his finger on the pulse in Laois long before becoming the county’s senior football manager.

Both Mayo and Galway have championship debutants for Sunday’s Connacht SFC quarter-final clash in MacHale Park in Castlebar (4pm).

Sometimes, that media exposure isn’t all its cracked up to be anyway and can be better off avoided, writes Mike Quirke.

John Sugrue was understandably pleased but sensibly restrained after watching his Laois side make the best of a strong start to see off neighbours Carlow and claim Division 4 honours.

The Belfast rape trial ended last week. The past few weeks saw the mix seethe, as preoccupations intersected in Belfast’s Court No. 12: crime, celebrity, sex, power, class, sport. All of it.

Traffic aside, it’s a straightforward spin from Portlaoise to Croke Park.

Social media has seen both promises of demonstrations, and now-deleted controversial comments from sports players, following the Belfast rape trial.

Laois GAA have issued a statement to disassociate themselves from a tweet sent by one of the county's star footballers after the conclusion of the rugby rape trial.

Waterford roll into Cork tomorrow for the NHL 1A relegation play-off but it’s not the Déise’s first trip across Youghal Bridge this year.

Laois 2-12 Limerick 0-9: Gary Walsh hit 1-6 and set up Paul Kingston for a 70th-minute goal as Laois got the John Sugrue reign off to the perfect start with a nine-point victory over Limerick.

Over 30 minutes in the company of Dan Shanahan and it’s clear one of the many things he will bring to the Waterford group this week is levity. Few are spared his withering wit.

A recovering alcoholic who beat a man to death following a drunken row at an apartment in Dublin has been jailed for five years.

The son of a 62-year-old man beaten to death by a man half his age has said he cannot stop thinking of him drowning in his own blood with nobody to help him, writes Natasha Reid.

The son of a man beaten to death in an apartment in Terenure in Dublin has said he often dreams of his father calling him for help.

Laois withstood a stubborn Wicklow fightback to claim a Round 1 All-Ireland Senior Football Qualifier win at a sunny Aughrim this evening.

A jury has failed to reach a verdict in the trial of a Dublin father-of-one, charged with murdering a 62-year-old by punching him repeatedly until he admitted to a sexual assault that he believed he had committed on another man.

A jury has heard closing speeches in the trial of a Dublin man, charged with murdering a 62-year-old by punching him until he admitted to a sexual assault that the accused had been told he had committed.

A witness has told a murder trial he went for hypnosis to try to remember how a fatal assault began in his home.

A late free throw by Kieran Donaghy ensured Garvey’s Tralee Warriors were crowned Champions Trophy winners in an epic, 74-73 win over league champions, Templeogue, at Letterkenny, yesterday.

A raider passed a note to a post office teller advising no one would get hurt if money was handed over to him.

Neptune completed a glorious weekend cup final treble yesterday when their U20 starlets saw off the challenge of Kubs 85-75 at the National Arena.

Wicklow 1-8 Laois 2-17: Laois made it two wins from two in the O’Byrne Cup as they brushed aside Wicklow in Greystones last night.

Laois secured the dubious honour of a Leinster football quarter-final tie with Dublin in Kilkenny’s Nowlan Park early next month, but only with a deeply unimpressive and barely deserved win over Division Four opponents on home soil.

Hailing from Mount Sion, the gung-ho is part of what he is, but Austin Gleeson maintains he is learning to be more of a team player.

Perception and reality. Those uncomfortable bed-fellows can be mistaken as the same regarding Waterford hurling at the moment.

Allianz Hurling League Division 1 final

An “accomplished boxer” has been sentenced to 10 years imprisonment, with the last two years suspended, for the manslaughter of a mother of two with whom he had been in a “turbulent relationship”.

An “accomplished boxer” will be sentenced next month for the manslaughter of a mother of two with whom he had been in a “turbulent relationship”.

Basketball: C&S UCC Demons’ unbeaten record in the Men’s Premier League remains intact following their 88-74 win over second-placed Travelodge Swords Thunder at the weekend.

ALL-IRELAND MFC SEMI-FINAL:

Armagh 2-18 Laois 1-12

A 31-year-old man has been remanded in custody after he was charged with the murder of a former rugby player in Dublin at the weekend.

A Dublin man has been charged with murder in connection with the death of a man in the capital on Saturday night.