Whatever the rest of the country thought of Davy Fitzgerald’s intervention on Sunday, the vast majority of the Wexford following are fully behind their new general. That much was evident by the reaction of their fans in Nowlan Park to the first-half incident.

Tipp rely on Seamus Callanan and John McGrath to create goal chances out of nothing, writes Donal O’Grady.

Clare County Council yesterday voted through a number of last-minute, contentious rezonings against the recommendations of its acting chief executive, Ger Dollard.

Liam Dunne is talking about Wexford’s future. Happily. Comfortably. His fifth season in charge was brought into question by some a couple of months back but here he still stands.

Areas of geological importance in Waterford, Clare, and Fermanagh have been designated Unesco Global Geoparks following a vote in Paris yesterday.

"I missed you all," Mary Hanafin gushed to reporters in the manner of a faded film star who had just glimpsed the limelight once more thanks to a cameo role in a B movie.

Fine Gael looks set to fall four seats short of securing control of the 28-seat Clare Co Council.

Five people found gunned down in a house in New Mexico were identified today as a fire brigade chaplain, his wife, and three of their children.

A FORMER TD has called for “a period of civil disobedience” in response to the planned septic tank registration fee and household charge.

A LOCAL authority is seeking ministerial approval to permit farmers to bury deceased relatives on their home soil.

A LOCAL authority was forced to spend an extra €450,000 on Traveller accommodation over its budget allocation following damage on sites and high legal costs for the first six months of the year.

TWO men were trapped in their overturned car for over half-an-hour after it crashed on Co Clare’s notorious “ugly mile” in exactly the same spot as a crash last month.

Dublin 1-18 Wexford 0-11

Diarmuid Connolly's young brother Thomas will start for Dublin in tomorrow's Bord Gáis Energy Leinster U-21 Hurling Championship final at Wexford Park (throw-in 7.30pm).

WEXFORD made it a dismal week for Laois hurling as they handed the visitors a real mauling in this one-sided Leinster Under-21 hurling championship semi-final at Wexford Park last night.

WEXFORD boss Tony Dempsey has named ten of last year’s starting U21 team for tomorrow night’s Bord Gáis Energy Leinster U21HC tie against Kilkenny at Wexford Park.

O’MOORE PARK was a scene of delight as much as it was a vista of dejection last night as Wexford celebrated their first Leinster U21 FC title at the fifth time of asking.

Wexford 1-9 Longford 0-11

THE Wexford hurling crisis deepened last night as the county’s Under-21 selector Gary Laffan, an All-Ireland SHC medallist in 1996, launched a scathing attack on his own county board over the use of dual players.

LABOUR’S first TD elected in Clare in 19 years said “a huge canvass” was the main reason behind his surprise win.

Fianna Fáil's Niall Collins tops the poll with 9,361 votes in Limerick but has not reached the quota of 11,261 to be elected.

In the Mid-West constituencies of Limerick and Clare, the country-wide trend of a swing to Fine Gael is being duplicated.

PLANNING permission has been given for a €40 million private hospital on the outskirts of Ennis after councillors overwhelmingly voted through a rezoning to accommodate the proposal.

ALMOST 10 years after a strategy was launched to deal with the growing problem of antimicrobial resistance in Ireland, Ennis General Hospital is set to become Ireland’s first fully SARI compliant facility for inpatient accommodation.

ONLY one fifth of the country’s 60,000 beef farms are economically viable businesses when the value of family labour and capital invested in livestock and machinery is considered.

Independent TD Paudge Connolly has said he is prepared to support the Government if the Progressive Democrats abandon their coalition with Fianna Fáil.

THE Irish summer is over but a cross-party group of politicians have been given the opportunity to enjoy some sunshine for a few more days at least — in Morocco.

The Ceann Comhairle Rory O'Hanlon is leading a parliamentary delegation to the Kingdom of Morocco.

THE Oireachtas committee established to investigate issues raised by the striking down of the statutory rape law will hold its inaugural meeting today.

Former minister Brendan Daly has been added to the Fianna Fáil ticket in Clare for the next General Election.

THE Oireachtas Committee which will examine if the Constitution should be changed following the Supreme Court decision on statutory rape may repeal the emergency laws on child abuse introduced last month.

A STUDENT from Lattin, Co Tipperary, who studied with Teagasc at Clonakilty Agricultural College, is the winner of the DeLaval Cream award.

BACKBENCH TDs and senators spent €500,000 last year on foreign travel, including a number of fact-finding trips to exotic long-haul destinations.

Minister for Finance Brian Cowen today insisted Cabinet colleague Michael McDowell had the Government’s full backing as the clamour for his resignation grew.

A TIPPERARY man with a love for the land has been hailed as a prime example to his peers.

A 22-YEAR-OLD student from Co Tipperary, representing Clonakilty Agricultural College in West Cork, is the 2006 Teagasc FBD National Student of the Year.