They fetched up in Davin Park, Carrick on Suir on the Sunday before Christmas for the South U21 hurling final. The last day out. The last match of a magical year. In the past, St Mary’s of Clonmel might have approached such a fixture hoping for the best. These days they approach such fixtures – yes, even South Tipp finals – expecting the best.

The team behind a special University College Cork scholarship set up in honour of an Irish energy engineer who died in a US yachting accident have encouraged people to apply for this year’s award.

Edmond Sexton did record bowling at Lyre in his three bowls of odds win over Thomas Mackle in the Mother Hegarty Cup on Sunday.

A Tipperary club official has revealed his motion aimed at reducing the number of steps a player can take with ball in hand from four to three has met with opposition from Hurling’s 2020 review committee.

Pre-championship favourites Ballymun Kickhams got their Dublin SFC campaign off to a winning start as they recorded a comfortable victory over Naomh Olaf at Parnell Park last night.

Boss Paul Curran insists Dublin SFC holders Ballymun Kickhams haven’t handed vital momentum to St Vincent’s ahead of tonight’s county SFC final replay.

Ballymun Kickhams 0-20 St Vincent’s 1-17 (aet)

Ballymun Kickhams (Dublin) 1-10 Dr Crokes (Kerry) 0-9

Ballymun Kickhams 0-11 Portlaoise 0-08

Ballymun Kickhams 0-11 Portlaoise 0-8

Ballymun Kickhams (Dublin) 1-08 Sarsfields (Kildare) 0-05

Ballymun Kickhams 1-12 Kilmacud Crokes 0-14

Ballymun Kickhams will aim to end a barren spell of 27 years when they face Kilmacud Crokes in the Dublin SFC final at Parnell Park this evening (7.45pm).

Kilmacud Crokes and Ballymun Kickhams meet in next Monday’s Dublin SFC final after semi-final wins over St Brigid’s and St Jude’s, respectively, in Parnell Park yesterday.

Portumna, Inniskeen Grattans, Shannon Rovers and Tourin claimed the four All-Ireland Hurling Sevens titles that were on offer in mixed weather conditions in Dublin yesterday.

AN amateur treasure hunter prowling English farmland with a metal detector stumbled upon the largest Anglo-Saxon treasure hoard ever discovered, a massive collection of gold and silver crosses, sword decorations and other items, British archaeologists said yesterday.

Marts: Live exports of calves to continental markets are beginning to pick up after a very slow start to the 2008 season.

Marts: Year-to-date indications are that the average price being paid to producers for weanlings is up on 2006 by a margin of just over 7%, with heifers showing marginally more gain than bulls.

Dublin 3-14 DCU 0-12

TWO inseparable friends born on the same day, but only a year apart, will be buried today as a distraught community tries to come to terms with the loss of the two young men, who died in a crash over the weekend.

Dublin 0-13 Kildare 0-11

Kildare 0-4 Dublin 0-10

Laois 1-11 Dublin 1-11