Podge Collins didn’t take too kindly to our claim last week that the modern sliotar is too light.

Interim Offaly manager Joachim Kelly met with the county’s embattled hurlers for the first time yesterday evening.

A disastrous start to their Joe McDonagh Cup campaign has left Offaly in a battle to avoid relegation to hurling's third tier.

Kevin Martin has been relieved of his duties as Offaly hurling manager.

In an era when we are constantly bombarded with pundits expressing pity for the levels of commitment required of elite GAA players, it is refreshing to hear a camogie star explain how the love of the game outweighs all the negatives and demands.

There will new hurling champions in Offaly after All-Ireland club finalists Coolderry were comprehensively brushed aside by impressive St Rynagh’s in the quarter-final yesterday.

All-Ireland camogie champions Wexford will play history-makers Offaly and league title-holders Cork will take on Galway in this year’s semi-finals as Nowlan Park plays host to this mouth-watering double-header on Saturday, August 18.

Joachim Kelly has made some outstanding contributions to Gaelic games in Offaly over the past 35 years or so.

FOUR-time All-Ireland club champions Birr served notice of their intent when overwhelming reigning kingpins Coolderry by 1-16 to 0-10 in a one-sided fourth round encounter at Shinrone on Saturday.

All-Ireland champions Wexford lead the way in this year's Camogie All Stars team with eight players named in the side. Beaten finalists Galway take five positions, while Kilkenny and Cork share one a piece.

Offaly 2-12 Wexford 2-10

IT wasn’t easy on the eye but that won’t bother Galway as they edged past Cork in their Gala All-Ireland senior camogie semi-final replay at Semple Stadium yesterday, 0-10 to 0-9, dashing Cork’s three-in-a-row ambitions.

Offaly booked their place in a third successive All-Ireland with a hard-fought victory over Derry in the Gala All-Ireland intermediate camogie semi-final at Clones. They will play Wexford in three weeks, who just edged past Limerick in Ardfinnan.

Wexford captured a National Camogie League double at Semple Stadium this afternoon as the Slaneysiders prevailed in the Division 1 and Division 2 finals.

Wexford are on the hunt for a double this weekend as they contest both the Division One and Two National Camogie League Finals at Semple Stadium on Saturday afternoon with Kilkenny and Offaly providing the opposition.

Roundup of today's camogie action

OFFALY put the disappointment of last year’s Gala All-Ireland junior camogie final defeat firmly behind them as they ran out comprehensive winners in yesterday’s decider at Croke Park.

Offaly 3-14 Waterford 2-8, Croke Park

FORMER Offaly hurling star Joachim Kelly has backed the call for video referees to be introduced as the debate continues to rage about the late penalty decision awarded to Kilkenny in Sunday’s All-Ireland final.

A SENIOR Cork camogie official last night admitted to being “astonished and disgusted” at the nominations for the sport’s manager of the year award.

It was a case of third time lucky for Clare as Shona Enright's injury-time goal ended their final heartbreak at Croke Park.

AFTER having had his arm twisted to train All-Ireland junior camogie finalists Offaly — by his daughter Aoife —– double All-Ireland medal winner Joachim Kelly quickly found out what he had let himself in for.

CAMOGIE President Liz Howard hopes the GAA will continue to pair their junior and senior finals with the All-Ireland U21 hurling championship decider in Croke Park as they do on Sunday for the third consecutive year.

John McIntyre has been kept in place as Offaly senior hurling manager for 2007.

SINCE his appointment as an Offaly hurling selector Joachim Kelly has spent much of his time emphasising that his county must acquire good habits, and they don’t get any better than the habit of winning.

BRIAN WHELAHAN is expected to link up with the Offaly panel for pre-season training in the coming weeks.

Joachim Kelly, an All-Ireland SHC winner in 1981 and 1985, has been handed a role on the Offaly hurling management team for next season.

Offaly have re-appointed John McIntyre as the county's hurling manager for the 2006 season.