BRIGHTENING up some very dark days and putting a smile on people’s faces while keeping the recession at bay: that was the sentiment being expressed in Effin this week as they celebrated their Munster Club IHC title — their first provincial crown.

Na Piarsaigh swept Ballygunner aside with a stunning second half display in today’s AIB Munster Club SHC semi-final at Walsh Park.

CHAMPIONS Crusheen booked a date against Sixmilebridge in the Clare SHC final following an impressive semi-final display at Cusack Park, Ennis yesterday.

REIGNING champions Crusheen came from behind in the second-half to steal a win, 3-10 to 1-11, from Newmarket-on-Fergus in the group stages of the SHC at Cusack Park, Ennis on Saturday.

A KILMALLOCK scoring burst - 2-4 in six minutes at the start of the second-half - was the turning point in this AIB Munster club SHC quarter-final yesterday in Cusack Park.

CRUSHEEN made history yesterday in Cusack Park, collecting their first Clare SHC title at the expense of Cratloe, a late goal from Paddy Meaney finally killing off their opponents.

NICKY O’CONNELL remains Clare’s only major injury worry ahead of Saturday’s All-Ireland qualifier clash against Dublin in Croke Park.

CORK dual star Eoin Cadogan could discover this week if he will be fit for the county’s senior championship openers in football and hurling.

AN appeal by Kerry star Paul Galvin against an eight-week ban will be heard tonight by the GAA’s Central Competitions Control Committee at Croke Park.

PATRICK CRONIN is set to miss Cork’s entire National Hurling League campaign after suffering a serious knee injury. Cronin will be out of action for a minimum period of three months but it is hoped he may be able to make a return before Cork’s Munster SHC opener against Tipperary in Páirc Ui Chaoimh on May 31.

PUSHING the favourites to the absolute limit after having faced the prospect of a heavy defeat was of even less consolation to gallant Clare in the Gaelic Grounds yesterday when they were drawn against Galway in the qualifiers.

CORK football boss Conor Counihan has added four of the county’s recent All-Ireland U21 winners to the senior panel ahead of Sunday’s Munster SFC opener against Waterford in Dungarvan.

There are no players from Cork selected to start for Munster in their Martin Donnelly Interprovincial Hurling semi-final with Connacht at Pearse Stadium, Galway on Saturday.

CLARE’S strong second-half showing in the Gaelic Grounds yesterday just fell short of redeeming a situation where they conceded three goals in a short period before the break.

CLARE defender Gerry O’Grady faces a struggle to be fit for the Munster SHC semi-final against Limerick on June 22 after breaking his right hand in Sunday’s victory over Waterford.

THE NHL games which fell victim to the weather last weekend have now been re-fixed, with Cork playing Waterford in Walsh Park on Saturday at 2.30pm, while Carlow take on Meath at 1pm the same day in Dr Cullen Park. Dublin now play Antrim on March 28th.

The official nominees for the 2006 Opel Gaelic Players Awards for Hurling have been announced by the Gaelic Players’ Association, with beaten All-Ireland finalists Cork leading the way with 13 nominations.

THIS wasn’t just about guaranteeing holders Cork a place in the Guinness All-Ireland hurling championship quarter-final, irrespective of how they fare in the Munster final.

FOR years, they’ve represented all that’s best in their respective counties, represented the hopes, the dreams and occasionally the heartache.

A BIG doubt surrounds the Nemo Rangers seven for Cork’s clash with Kerry in the final of the McGrath Cup at Pairc Uí Rinn on Sunday.

LIMERICK football manager Liam Kearns was dealt a blow at training last evening when midfielder Jason Stokes failed a fitness test in advance of Saturday’s All-Ireland football qualifier against Carlow at Dr. Cullen Park.

Colm O’Connor

Galway 3-11 Clare 1-13

REGULAR defender Mark Foley is named at full-forward on the Limerick team to meet Cork in Sunday’s Allianz NHL tie at Páirc Uí Rinn.

Clare 1-13 Kilkenny 1-13

Cork 1-11 Clare 1-6

WATERFORD manager Justin McCarthy is keeping a firm lid on Deise expectation following a two-point victory over the dual league and All-Ireland champions, Kilkenny in Nowlan Park on Sunday.

IMMIGRANTS are being treated shamefully in one of the country’s leading tourist towns, Amnesty International said yesterday.