Firefighters have scaled new heights to raise a record €148,000 for a charity which sends seriously ill children and their families on a dream holiday.

Firefighters in Cork city and county are to hit new heights — with the world’s highest mountain in their plans.

Good afternoon. Here’s all the news you need to know this lunchtime.

The Clare hurling management’s treatment of Paul Flanagan’s recent concussion has been commended by the GAA’s medical, scientific and welfare committee chairman Ger Ryan.

Room, Sing Street, and My Name is Emily look set to be the big winners at the Irish Film and Television Awards (Iftas) as they have bagged eight nominations apiece.

The GAA are satisfied there is greater awareness of concussion protocols amongst managers and players.

The minor grade at county level will change from U18 to U17 after next year following a vote at Congress last night.

Free smoke detectors and alarm testing sticks will be distributed across Cork as part of a major Christmas fire safety campaign.

There were only “two or three hours” over the weekend when ground staff were not preparing Semple Stadium for the five games it hosted.

GAA chiefs are counting down to one of the most lucrative weekends of the season with 10 major games down for decision and close to 200,000 expected through the turnstiles.

A debate about mandatory gumshields in hurling had been on the cards prior to Seamus Callanan’s teeth injury in Sunday’s Munster semi-final.

The Munster Council have explained an extraordinary walk-up crowd compelled them to postpone the throw-in time of last Sunday’s Kerry-Tipperary Munster SFC semi-final in Thurles.

GAA player welfare chief Ger Ryan says one of the big challenges facing the association is spreading clear guidelines on concussion beyond inter-county level and out to the 400,000 club players worldwide.

The Munster Council has challenged comments made by Dublin football legend and economist, Robbie Kelleher relating to how monies are distributed to counties and clubs.

A motion relating to concussion has been referred to the GAA’s Scientific and Welfare concussion, after a strong debate at GAA Congress in Cavan this morning.

Talented teenagers in the GAA are playing for as many as 10 teams at any one time and regularly training twice a day to serve their many masters.

A community fire safety initiative has cut Cork City Fire Brigade’s call-outs to such an extent that it has freed up firefighters to respond to cardiac emergencies.

The chairman of the GAA’s medical, scientific and welfare committee has launched a stout defence of the rule which saw Clare hurler Podge Collins red carded during Saturday’s All-Ireland qualifier clash against Wexford at Cusack Park.

Cork chairman Bob Ryan expressed his delight that Páirc Uí Chaoimh will bow out by staging the county’s Munster SHC final against Limerick on July 13.

Munster GAA PRO Ger Ryan says tickets will be discounted for the Munster SHC quarter-final replay between Cork and Waterford.

When Paul Galvin mentioned the discomfort of being made to wear a gum shield in his first significant interview following retirement, it could easily have been interpreted as a primary reason in his decision-making.

Inter-county managers will be forced to hold GAA approved coaching qualifications by 2018. The policy, approved by Central Council last June on the back of a recommendation from the FRC, will prevent an inter-county manager from patrolling the sideline if they have not acquired the requisite expertise.

Limerick footballers are unlikely to have any representation in Munster’s Interprovincial football panel next month in what is a further protest at the seeded nature of this year’s draw.

Tipperary GAA officials slashed expenditure by over €1m in the last 12 months.

A seven-year study of Gaelic players has shown cruciate (ACL) problems make up just over 1% of injuries in both football and hurling.

GPA chief executive Dessie Farrell believes a concussion substitute — similar to the current blood replacement — will become a serious consideration for the GAA.

The support of Limerick and Waterford were key factors in swinging the vote in favour of the Munster SFC returning to a seeded draw for 2014.

TIPPERARY

The GAA have received no information to back up Jim McGuinness’ claims that Gaelic footballers are being placed in “a very dangerous position”.

PARENTS take fag-breaks during First Communion Mass and chatter so loudly the priest falls silent; children are ignorant of how to bless themselves, genuflect or behave in church.

Mr Wolf (Harvey Keitel): “You see that, young lady? Respect. Respect for one’s elders shows character.”

Two men who stole over €123,000 in life savings from a pensioner were caught “drinking their way through the money” the very next day.

Referees have been warned to be extra vigilant about under-age players not wearing mouthguards after several colleges footballers were photographed playing without them in Munster and Leinster games this week.

In recent weeks, a number of senior inter-county officials have met with representatives of Edge 10, a sophisticated predictive performance monitoring and management software system.

There will be no grace period for the implementation of mandatory mouthguards in football at all underage levels, which came into force from yesterday.

A leading surgeon has predicted that the GAA’s decision to make the wearing of mouthguards compulsory as of January 2014 will reduce the number of facial injuries suffered by players by up to 80%.

Thieves targeted the home of a pensioner just hours after gardaí recovered more than €100,000 of his life savings which had been stolen the day before.

Mouthguards, medical kits and injury databases.

Senior Tipperary players expect former coach Eamon O’Shea will be named their new hurling manager.

Liam Sheedy, Eamonn O’Shea and Nicky English are among the leading names linked with the Tipperary manager’s position vacated by Declan Ryan on Saturday.