A year on from Kevin McCarthy’s Croke Park hat-trick which sealed AIB All-Ireland intermediate club success for Kilcummin, his pal and namesake Ian repeated the trick for Na Gaeil in the junior decider.

The country’s only paediatric chronic pain specialist is to leave his post at the end of this month, but the HSE will not advertise the post until the new year.

A brilliant 19-minute spell at the start of the second half — when they scored 11 points without reply — propelled St Kieran’s to victory over Kilcummin and booked their place in the Kerry SFC quarter-finals.

We’d be foolish to think that anything other than a green flag will decide this evening’s final.

More than 40 gardaí and eight support crew members have cycled 280km from Dublin to Cork to raise funds for sick children and their families.

Kerry manager Peter Keane has included four debutants in his first championship side, which will take on Clare in Cusack Park in tomorrow night’s Munster SFC semi-final (7pm).

Kerry football manager Peter Keane is “more hopeful than not” that Gavin White will play a part in the county’s Munster SFC semi-final against Clare on Saturday week.

There was no lack of drama — or county stars — on show over an exciting opening weekend of club championship action in Kerry.

If Mayo supporters didn’t see their lives of final anguish flashing before their eyes as Stephen O’Brien squared the ball for David Clifford in the first minute of additional time then they are lying.

Mayo 3-11 Kerry 2-10

Earlier this week, a graphic posted on Twitter by Mayo GAA blog Ah Ref! revealed that players from the west of the county had seen the most action in this year’s Allianz League campaign to-date with 45%.

It was very disappointing and shameful to see just one of the Republic’s players singing our national anthem.

Our writers wrap up the major talking points from the weekend's league action...

A foul night but an immensely gratifying one for Mayo, who not only ended Kerry’s 100% Division One record in the Kingdom’s back yard, but got an unexpected favour from Tyrone to tee them up for a possible final repeat with Peter Keane’s side.

Kerry boss Peter Keane believes managers must re-examine their replacement strategies in the wake of the GAA’s decision to reduce permitted subs from six to five.

Willie Maher did the official Croke Park tour once and, among the assorted tidbits he took from the experience, was the fact that there are 34 steps from the bottom of the Hogan Stand up to the spot where silverware is raised to the heavens.

Around the 40m line on the open terrace in Tralee, two feet frozen but the heart warming, we ticked off the little tests this new Kerry side were passing, one by one. Work-rate and support? Yes. Gameplan? Yes. Young lads standing up? Absolutely. Decision-making under pressure? Mainly, writes Colm Cooper.

Republicans aren’t preparing for another shutdown because they don’t want to believe that one is possible — but that’s what they thought last time too, says Ramesh Ponnuru.

New manager Peter Keane said yesterday that if Kerry suffer any further player injuries or withdrawals in advance of Sunday week’s league opener against Tyrone, he might be forced to look up to the press box to fill out the bench.

One final piece of silverware from 2018 for Dr Crokes and in convincing fashion at that, as they won the battle of the Munster Club Champions with Intermediate winners Kilcummin to win their 30th East Kerry SFC title in total and a first since 2013 for the club, at the Fitzgerald Stadium Killarney on Saturday afternoon.

Kilcummin claimed the AIB Munster club IFC title in Mallow today. A strong finish to the first half and an impressive second half showing from the Kerry champions meant this is the 12th title for the Kingdom and fifth-in-a-row for Kerry clubs.

Goals from Ben Cooney and a brace from Bryan McLoughney saw Nenagh CBS secure a resounding 10-point victory over Cork’s Gaelcholaiste Mhuire an Mhainistir Thuaidh in Kilfinane.

Nenagh CBS bounced back from an opening round loss to hand defending champions Ardscoil Ris a significant defeat in this group A Dr Harty Cup tie in Newport.

President Michael D Higgins has made a strong attack on Catholic Church actions in the recent scandals.

Perhaps we could cut straight to the last 15 minutes or so.

Michael D Higgins has reneged on his promise to serve one, seven-year term, but his 70% approval ratings show that it likely doesn’t matter, writes Political Editor Daniel McConnell.

Kerry have turned to the ultra-experienced Kieran Young to lock down the centre of defence for their crucial Super 8s clash with Kildare.

What has become of Kerry’s middle-aged? That’s been the standout quandary of the Super 8.

With Paul Ryan retiring as House speaker, the race is on to assuage Trump and secure his support. One key powerbroker is targeting the Mueller probe, writes Bette Browne.

One of Cork’s best-known jewellers, who was found critically injured on a street after a Christmas party, died from head injuries consistent with a fall, an inquest has established.

Offaly goalkeeping coach Brendan Kealy is unsure if manager Stephen Wallace will be on the sideline for Sunday’s Leinster SFC preliminary round game against Wicklow in Portlaoise.

Kerry 0-19 - Kildare 0-14: A first win in four games. A first victory on home soil since January 28 and a first clean-sheet since July of 2017. Significant daylight put between themselves and the relegation zone. All in all, not a bad evening’s work for Kerry.

Kerry 0-19 Kildare 0-14: A sixth consecutive league defeat means Kildare will spend next spring in Division 2.

Shane MacGowan’s girlfriend has revealed that ‘Fairytale of New York’ is the soundtrack to their life together.

What is it with Mayo and their management? They continue to display an incredible propensity for making things as difficult as they can for themselves.

John Fogarty considers the selection issues facing the Kerry and Mayo management teams ahead of Sunday’s All -Ireland SFC semi-final.

The Leaving Certificate results were delivered yesterday. Much debate and fanfare mixed with smiles and tears were shared, no doubt, across the country.

Eamonn Fitzmaurice believes that Mayo have rediscovered their mojo at a critical juncture of the season thanks to a “glut of games”.

Éamonn Fitzmaurice is confident Kerry’s supporting cast will step up to the plate if Paul Geaney and James O’Donoghue are curtailed during Sunday’s All-Ireland quarter-final.

The Republican-led House is to vote on a sweeping Russia sanctions package that defies the White House by demanding Donald Trump gets Congress's permission before lifting or easing penalties against Moscow.