Tributes have been paid to Kevin Casey, the sports editor of Waterford radio station WLR FM, who passed away on Tuesday at the age of 40. The award-winning presenter died after a short illness.

Here’s a briefing on some of the stories and issues highlighted on irishexaminer.com today

Good afternoon. Here’s all the news you need to know this lunchtime.

Mallow 1-13 Bantry Blues 0-10: A crucial Micheál O’Rourke goal helped Mallow overcome Bantry Blues in the first round of the Cork PIFC at Newcestown yesterday evening.

Tallow 1-14 Ballyduff Upper 0-16: Fraher Field was subdued yesterday afternoon for the Waterford SHC semi-final between Tallow and Ballyduff Upper, which Tallow eventually won by the narrowest of margins.

Three time county champions De La Salle face a relegation play-off to keep their Waterford SHC senior status intact after Fourmilewater dumped them out of the race for the News & Star trophy on Saturday evening at Fraher Field.

Three-time champions De La Salle fended off a second-half revival from Ballygunner to collect their first win of the season in the Waterford SHC Round 3 at Walsh Park last night.

In a fascinating climax to the group stages of the Waterford SHC, three-time winners Lismore and 2012 runners-up Dungarvan were the major casualties as Tallow, Ballygunner and Abbeyside all pressed on to the quarter-finals.

Neighbours Ballyduff Upper and Tallow couldn’t be separated last night in the fourth round of the Waterford SHC in a contest that picked up real pace in the final quarter.

David Snow has won an international award for pursuing a conman who stole dead babies’ identities, says Sue Leonard

Waterford senior hurling champions Ballygunner have secured a place in the last eight of the 2012 competition with victory over Lismore at Fraher Field on Saturday.

Pride and a fanatical will to win were abundant ingredients in Bantry’s win over Beara in Saturday’s semi-final thriller in Kealkil.

Under pressure Offaly boss Gerry Cooney saw his 14-men secure a gritty win at Kingspan Breffni Park and drag Cavan into a relegation battle.

RATHMORE’S victory in the East Kerry senior championship (O’Donoghue Cup) semi-final replay over Currow yesterday came at a cost with Aidan O’Mahony suspended for the district final against Dr Crokes.

THERE were no shocks in the Munster Junior Cup as Shannon, Scariff and Fermoy advanced.

THIS all-Waterford Dr Harty Cup Munster Colleges hurling tie at Fraher Field, Dungarvan, yesterday may not have been a classic, but it was a feisty and no-nonsense local derby that ended in a deserved victory for Lismore’s Blackwater Community School.

GOOD times for Denis Ring’s Blackwater Community School in Lismore.

A RECORD number of planning applications have been received in the last week by Cork County Council, signalling a boom start to 2006.