There may be more vivid incarnations of optimism than a ticket tout prowling Gill’s Corner and environs for spare tickets ahead of the All-Ireland club final, but none come immediately to mind.

With a second successive title, Ballyhale Shamrocks made it a clean sweep of All-Ireland club titles for Kilkenny this weekend despite some heroics from Borris-Ileigh’s Jerry Kelly and Brendan Maher.

Maher scored a stunning late point with a broken hurley as Borris-Ileigh finished stronger.

A drenched Páirc Uí Rinn was the scene for a turn up for the books as a Brendan Maher-inspired Borris-Ileigh once again defied the odds to stun a vaunted Ballygunner side.

Glen Rovers manager Richie Kelleher admitted after this Munster Club SHC semi-final in Semple Stadium yesterday that the better team won, and he couldn’t have given a more honest appraisal.

There is something wonderful about a senior county final. Good weather day, bad weather day, any type of day. The whole occasion is so intimate.

A dank winter’s afternoon it might have been, but for Borris-Illeigh people in the 7,250 crowd in Semple Stadium, it’s a day that will always shine brightly Borris’ ended a 33-year wait for a senior title, an eternity for such a proud club, with a gritty win over Kiladangan.

Honours to Borris-Illeigh in this Tipperary SHC final - the 7,250 in attendance saw them defeat Kiladangan in a hard-fought encounter.

Approval and funding delays could push a long-awaited multi-well drilling campaign at the Barryroe oil and gas field, off the Cork coast, into 2020, a UK broker has said.

Mayo manager James Horan has made three changes for their Connacht Senior Football Championship semi-final against Roscommon on Saturday.

Mayo got their 2019 championship campaign off to an impressive start with a facile win at Gaelic Park against a New York side who were outclassed.

Mayo captain Diarmuid O'Connor has missed out on the Mayo team for their Championship opener in New York.

Long serving Mayo defender Keith Higgins believes the truth about their Allianz league campaign lies somewhere between the boom and bust scenarios that were painted.

Certain words have featured quite a lot in interviews with James Horan over the last few months.

Mayo 3-15 Monaghan 1-18

David Clifford is in line to make his first start for Kerry this season as he is named in the full-forward line in tomorrow’s final round Division 1 game in Roscommon.

The chance of claiming a first national title in 18 years is not to be sniffed at but in the event Mayo do fall short of reaching the final tomorrow James Horan seems satisfied with what he has learned from their Division 1 exploits.

Gardaí found two shotguns, pepper spray, iron bars, axe handles, knuckle dusters and knives when they searched a bikers’ clubhouse and cars where a man was shot dead.

On the 75th anniversary of the IRA’s infamous bombing of Coventry, Ryle Dwyer examines the context and implications of the outrage.

Six dissident Republicans who were serving lengthy prison sentences for bombing offences in Britain have been released from Portlaoise Prison, the High Court has been informed.

Munster 12 Leinster 34

Ballyhale Shamrocks 1-14 James Stephens 1-11

The James Stephens club of Kilkenny collected the AIB Leinster club championship, at O'Moore park in Portlaoise this afternoon.

Five frontline members of a Real IRA cell received sentences ranging from 16 to 22 years at the Old Bailey in London today for plotting a terror bombing campaign in Britain.

Five members of a Real IRA terror cell operating on the British mainland were being sentenced today for their parts in plotting a bombing campaign.

Three Irishmen were convicted at the Old Bailey today of plotting a Real IRA bombing campaign in mainland Britain – endangering life and severely damaging property.

An Old Bailey jury trying three Irishmen accused of plotting a Real IRA terrorist bombing campaign in mainland Britain were continuing their deliberations today.

Two men have pleaded guilty to plotting to cause explosions likely to endanger life in mainland Britain and Ireland, the Old Bailey heard today.

THE wife of a murdered criminal, who was yesterday forced to testify at his inquest, more than six years after his death, could face perjury charges.

Police were today continuing to question a man in connection with last year’s suspected Real IRA bomb blasts in London and Birmingham.

British police were today continuing to question a man in connection with last year’s suspected Real IRA bomb blasts in London and Birmingham.

British police were today continuing to question a man in connection with last year’s suspected Real IRA bomb blasts in London and Birmingham.