Defiant Labour Party chairman Colm Keaveney has insisted he did nothing wrong by appointing his wife to a taxpayer-funded €52,000-a-year job as his assistant.

WAYNE CALNAN got 2011 off to a perfect start by beating Johnny O’Driscoll by almost a bowl in the opening score of the Mother Hegarty Cup at Lyre at the weekend.

THE Government is to be asked to implement “closer monitoring” of the country’s fishing fleet for safety purposes after an inquest heard that the alarm wasn’t raised for several hours after a fishing boat sank about two years ago.

THE fishing industry is still awaiting answers from the Government.

TAOISEACH Brian Cowen would want to wake up and smell the roses.

Fishermen have agreed to defer any further protests until after the Agriculture and Fisheries Minister meets with EU officials to discuss problems in the industry.

NOT surprisingly, it’s the hottest mobile number in Limerick.

I WISH to respond to the letter from John F Murray headlined ‘Ban the ocean floor sweepers’ (Irish Examiner, November 13).

Galway, Laois, Down and Wexford all enjoyed wins in Division 1B of the Allianz NFL today.

I WISH to respond to the feature article by Eddie Cassidy headlined ‘European fishing industry all at sea’ (Irish Examiner, December 15).

BRIAN CODY aims to “freshen things up” with the appointment of two new members to the Kilkenny senior hurling management team.

Brian Cody is to stay at the helm of the Kilkenny senior hurling team, but will reshuffle his management team.

KILKENNY'S Henry Shefflin was back on the training-ground last night after suffering a bad eye injury last weekend; but there was still no team news from the All-Ireland hurling champions.

THE advantage is with Clare ahead of Saturday’s All-Ireland SHC quarter-final replay with All-Ireland champions Kilkenny, according to Banner selector Fr Harry Bohan.

WITH JP McManus’ gift of €5m easing the financial pressures, the Limerick County Board are now asked to tackle what is claimed to be an alarming decline in the standard of hurling within the county.

THE Munster Senior football League kicked back into action this weekend with the pick of the eight contests being the meeting of Clonakilty and Kerins O’Rahilly’s in Tralee in Division One.

SEVEN-TIME goalkeeping Allstar and Kilkenny selector Noel Skehan has called for current netminder James McGarry to be named the country’s number one.

KILKENNY’S success in the All-Ireland minor hurling final last year, embellished with a display of skill and craft, provided further evidence of the rich vein of natural talent in the county which has dominated Leinster at senior level since 1997.

ALL-IRELAND champions Kilkenny will be without defender Richie Mullally for the Guinness Leinster SHC final against Wexford on July 6.

BRIAN CODY is maintaining a dignified silence on the departure of Charlie Carter and Brian McEvoy from the Kilkenny hurling panel. He has refused to make any comment at all so far on the controversy, either locally or nationally and has not indicated if he will respond.

IN what was truly an incredible finale to an amazing match, Imokilly plucked victory from the jaws of defeat against Muskerry in the first round of the permanent tsb Cork SFC at Páirc Uí Rinn last night, winning on a 3-9 to 0-17 scoreline.

Mallow2-13 St Vincent’s2-9

LISTENING to Brian Cody discuss his approach to management, it's easy to believe it's not as onerous a role as generally believed responsible yes, but not that difficult.