Next month marks the 50th anniversary of the National Hurling League final between Kilkenny and Tipperary, one of the most controversial clashes in GAA history, writes Enda McEvoy

John Doyle, not long before he passed away in December 2010, made an intriguing remark about 21st-century hurling.

In college they were teammates. Even friends. Then, for a while, things were tetchy enough.

Talking publishing, writing, selling and reading in our sports book round-up.

Tipperary stalwart John O’Donoghue is adamant the current crop of Premier County hurlers are not good enough to win an All-Ireland, believing their efforts to be hindered by a mental gap.

Former Taoiseach Brian Cowen has claimed Ireland bounced back from its devastating financial collapse quicker because of his spending spree; More than 400 jobseekers were interviewed for just 60 positions at the country’s newest McDonald’s restaurant; Ireland is poised to become an €8 billion ‘green energy’ hub.  Just some of the latest and most read stories on irishexaminer.com

Ask Paudie Butler to discuss the ciotógs on the current Tipperary team and he can’t but mention the recently departed Jimmy Doyle.

Cork County Board favours the possible introduction of “a second competition” for weaker counties in the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship after their participation at provincial level has come to an end.

Glowing tributes have been paid to the late great Jimmy Doyle.

It’s a dream come true.

Landlords will be obliged to pass tenant details to Irish Water, dementia could bankrupt us unless action is taken, the District Attorney of Alameda County is to consider a case for involuntary manslaughter in the investigation into the Berkeley balcony collapse and the best way to brew perfect coffee at home. Here’s this morning’s irishexaminer.com catch-up.

THURLES, but not as we know it.

Tipperary 1-15 Clare 1-11

The All-Ireland hurling race takes on a different tone when the previous season’s finalists come back to the circuit.

Funeral service of Tipperary hurler Jimmy Doyle in Ringaskiddy on Thursday 25/06/2015.

Thousands of hurling fans queued for hours in Thurles last evening for the removal of Tipperary hurling great Jimmy Doyle, who passed away suddenly on Monday, aged 76.

Thousands of mourners have gathered to pay their respects as two more funerals of Berkeley balcony collapse victims took place, Joan Burton has again defended a controversial cut to social welfare payments for single parents, and a Sinn Féin councillor has thanked Queen Elizabeth for helping Limerick celebrate next year’s centenary of 1916. These are some of the latest and most read stories on irishexaminer.com.

Jimmy Doyle had many great moment in his career but we narrow it down to five of the best.

“Hit it hard, hit it hard. I’ll get it.” That was Jimmy Doyle’s refrain in training. He never liked a soft or a lobbed pass sent his way. No matter how hard it was hit, he could control it, often stopping it dead.

The hurling world at large mourns the sad and unexpected death of Tipperary hurler extraordinaire Jimmy Doyle, but for the multitudes of people who knew him — team-mates and opponents at club, county and provincial level, friends, acquaintances — the grief is personal.

The Electric Ireland Munster Hurling semi-final between Clare and Tipperary has been put back 24

Babs Keating and Eddie Keher last night paid their respects to the Tipperary hurling great Jimmy Doyle who passed away yesterday.

Henry was lucky, so very, very lucky.

Kevin Fennelly said it was a regret of his he didn’t produce Henry Shefflin when he was Kilkenny manager in 1998.

Wexford manager Liam Dunne has questioned the findings of the reports released this week by the Hurling 2020 and minor review committees.

Was Cork’s dramatic fightback to snatch a ninth All-Ireland senior title in ten years the moment Ladies Football moved in from the margins? Coach Eamonn Ryan debates the past, the present and the future.

Sixty years ago, Tipperary had a youngster on the bench for one of the great Munster hurling finals.

Not every award-winning poet has played minor hurling for his county.

Fifty years ago Tipperary and Kilkenny clashed in the All-Ireland final with the Cats warmly fancied to retain their title.

Old scores were never fully settled because off the field the players rarely met socially.

Few rivalries have as rich a history as Cork and Tipperary hurlers, points out Donal O'Grady.

I’m living in the heart of rural Clare but I could be by the sea. Looking out my window I only see water and wind whipping up the whitecaps and it makes me wonder — will these games go ahead at all this weekend? Should these games go ahead?

As unfair as it is, Lar Corbett is still seen, both inside and outside his county, as the personification of last year’s All-Ireland semi-final humiliation to Kilkenny.

Tipperary hurling legend Jimmy Doyle has questioned whether Lar Corbett has learned from his bizarre performance in last year’s heavy All-Ireland semi-final defeat to Kilkenny

AIB ALL-IRELAND CLUB SHC SEMI-FINAL

Whatever way Sunday works out, there’ll be a change of the guard, in some shape or another.

If he’s watching from the great hurling field in the sky, Tom Semple is surely smiling.

When Tipperary overtook Cork in the All-Ireland roll of honour in the early sixties they were backboned by the mighty men of Thurles Sarsfields, then the dominant club in the county.