HOLDERS South Kerry did enough to secure their place in the semi-final of the Kerry SFC in Fitzgerald Stadium yesterday.

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.

ONE-WAY traffic in this, the last of the four Tipperary senior hurling quarter-finals played in Semple Stadium at the weekend, as champions Toomevara continued their well-timed run towards retaining their title.

Toomevara 0-17 Loughmore-Castleiney 0-13

Clonoulty-Rossmore 0-17 Thurles Sarsfields 1-14

LIMERICK have made three changes — one at midfield and two up front for next Sunday’s Munster SHC third semi-final clash with Tipperary at the Gaelic Grounds.

A QUINTET of All-Ireland winning stars, Donal Óg Cusack, Wayne Sherlock, Brian Murphy, Tom Kenny and Timmy McCarthy return to the Cork team for Sunday's crucial Allianz NHL clash with Wexford at Wexford Park.

AFTER months of speculation, Ciaran McDonald has finally returned to the Mayo panel, but the enigmatic forward won’t be rushed back into wearing the county jersey in the foreseeable future.

Garda College 0-8 DCU 1-6

Limerick 0-18 Tipperary 0-12

New York 0-6 Galway 3-13

TOOMEVARA’S rising young star Francis Devaney will make his Munster senior hurling championship debut for Tipperary in Sunday’s first round clash with Limerick at Semple Stadium, but there is no place for former skipper Tomas Dunne.

Galway 0-17 Tipperary 3-16

Wexford 1-7 Galway 0-15

Tipperary 1-12 Cork 0-16

Limerick IT 2-13 University of Limerick 3-4

University of Limerick 0-12 Galway/Mayo IT 1-8

THE three substitutes who inspired Cork to victory over Clare have been retained for Saturday’s second All-Ireland SFC qualifier with Fermanagh at Croke Park.

DIARMUID O’SULLIVAN has been given the all-clear to play with Cork in Sunday’s Allianz National Hurling League clash with Galway at Pearse Stadium.

UNDER 21 stars Sean Cavanagh and John Devine return to the Tyrone team for Sunday’s Alianz National Football League Division 1 ‘A’ clash with Kerry at Omagh.

WITH his side already through to the knockout stages of the Allianz NHL, Tipperary manager Ken Hogan has rested a number of first choice players for Sunday’s clash with Cork at Pairc Uí Chaoimh.

FORMER All-Star, Eoin Kelly, has again been omitted from the Waterford senior hurling panel for Sunday’s crunch Allianz NHL Division 1A tie against Galway at Walsh Park (2pm).

DAVID HOEY, Sean McMahon and Diarmuid McMahon look set to make their first Allianz NHL appearances with Clare this season when the Bannermen take on Galway in a top-of-the-table clash at Pearse Stadium on Sunday.

Tipp manager Ken Hogan is forced to make two changes for Sunday's NHL tie against Wexford. Shane Maher and Brian O'Meara are both ruled out through injury.

Tipp manager Ken Hogan is forced to make two changes for Sunday’s NHL tie against Wexford.

LIMERICK manager Pat Joe Whelahan was almost lost for words after yesterday's Allianz National Hurling League defeat by Tipperary at the magnificently redeveloped Gaelic Grounds.

TIPPERARY introduce three newcomers for their opening game in the Allianz National Hurling League against Offaly at Birr on Sunday.

Cork 1-14 Galway 0-9

University of Limerick1-13 Garda College 2-8

FOLLOWING a meeting of the Munster Council GAC in Limerick last night, Cork succeeded in postponing tonight’s Munster U21 football championship semi-final against Waterford.

Tipperary 2-14, Cork 0-17 (after extra-time)

EAMON CORCORAN and Lar Corbett have been recalled to the Tipperary team for Sunday’s do-or-die Guinness All-Ireland senior hurling championship qualifier with Galway at Pearse Stadium.

Tipperary 1-11 Clare 0-11

Armagh 1-15, Galway 0-15

Tipperary 3-21

OUTSTANDING full-back Philip Maher, who missed last weekend’s victory over Limerick because of ‘flu, returns to the Tipperary team for Sunday’s clash with Wexford in the Allianz NHL at Semple Stadium, Thurles.

DESPITE the comprehensive win nature of their side’s victory over Offaly in the opening round, the Tipperary selectors have made six changes for next Saturday’s meeting with Munster rivals Limerick in the Allianz NHL at Thurles.

WIT 1-17

UL 2-21 LIT 0-10

FITZGIBBON CUP champions University of Limerick served notice they will be hard to dethrone in this year’s championship with this gutsy victory over UCC in the Higher Educational SHL final at Kilmallock yesterday.

TIPPERARY have made three changes from the drawn game for tomorrow night’s Munster Under-21 HC final replay with Limerick in Thurles.

Limerick 3-9

THERE is no change to the Limerick team which defeated Cork in the semi-final for tonight’s mouth-watering Munster Under-21 HC final against Tipperary in Thurles.