Kerry SHC: Ballyduff 3-12 Causeway 1-10

Kilkenny, who play Offaly in the Leinster SHC at Nowlan Park tomorrow (7pm), have made three changes from the league final win over Tipperary.

Kerry manager Eamonn Fitzmaurice believes that his side would be unlucky to miss out on the Allianz Football League Division 1 semi-finals if they beat Cork in tomorrow’s clash in Tralee (3pm).

There are four changes in the Tipperary side for Sunday’s clash with Dublin at Semple Stadium in the final round of Division 1A of the Allianz Hurling League (2pm).

Ballyduff 2-13 Causeway 1-16 (AET)

Lixnaw 3-10 Ballyduff 0-07

Down 3-16 Kerry 2-17

Kerry 1-14 Kildare 0-11

Kerry 0-14 Derry 0-08

Reigning All-Ireland and Allianz Hurling League champions Kilkenny make several changes from the side that scraped past Clare last Sunday for tomorrow’s winner-take-all clash with Cork in Nowlan Park.

If Sam doesn’t reside in Dublin next winter, the likelihood is that last week’s defeat to Tyrone will be pinpointed as the first blip when the season’s narrative is written, the first time Jim Gavin’s men revealed a chink in their armour.

Ballyduff (Kerry) 2-13 Ballybrown (Limerick) 0-14 (Aet)

Ballyduff 1-15 Lixnaw 1-09

Ballyduff 1-14 Causeway 1-10

Kerry manager John Meyler sensationally resigned his post after the Christy Ring champions crashed out of the competition with defeat to Kildare in Newbridge on Saturday (2-21 to 1-16).

With two 13-point wins over Wicklow under their belt in the past year, Kerry were shocked by Casey O’Brien’s men in their opening defence of their Christy Ring Cup title at Arklow on Saturday.

Paudie Kehoe fired 11 points as Carlow all but ended Kerry’s hopes of promotion from Division 2A of the Allianz Hurling League yesterday.

Shane Brick announced his return to inter-county hurling in some style yesterday, saving Kerry’s blushes in a Waterford Crystal Cup preliminary round match against IT Tralee at Fitzgerald Stadium, Killarney.

Cork boss Conor Counihan has made six changes for next Sunday’s McGrath Cup final against Tipperary in Clonmel from the side that overturned CIT in last weekend’s semi-final.

“ALL for one and one for all,” the motto coined by Alexandre Dumas for his fictional Three Musketeers; it could instead have been coined for the very real hurling warriors of Effin.

THREE unanswered points in the final 10 minutes helped Ballyduff past Courcey Rovers at Cloughduv in the Munster IHC yesterday, a first hurling victory for a Kerry club in the provincial competition.

FAVOURITES Ballyduff were forced to produce a storming fightback to claim their 23rd crown in a thrilling Kerry SHC final at Austin Stack Park, Tralee.

A STROLL at headquarters for Kerry on Saturday, a final they dominated from start to finish against a game but outclassed Wicklow side to win their first Christy Ring Cup title.

Kerry 2-21 Wicklow 2-8

CORK boss Conor Counihan has made six changes for Sunday’s Munster SFC semi-final against Waterford from the team that defeated Clare in last month’s quarter-final.

Down 1-17 Kerry 1-18

SHANE Nolan confirmed his under-age promise by blitzing Kildare’s defence for seven points from play as Kerry got their Christy Ring Cup campaign under way at Newbridge.

CORK captain Shane O’Neill will complete his comeback from injury when he makes his first appearance of the year in Sunday’s trip to the south-east to face Wexford in Division 1 of the Allianz Hurling League.

TIPPERARY manager Declan Ryan has handed last year’s All-Ireland U21 medal winner John Coghlan his first senior start for Sunday’s Allianz Division 1 Hurling League tie against Galway in Pearse Stadium.

CLARE manager Ger O’Loughlin bemoaned the imbalance in the second tier of the hurling league after Saturday’s mismatch at Cusack Park, Ennis.

IT’S A big weekend on the Allianz Hurling League front. In the first division especially, six teams are still in with a chance of making the final and all involved in games against each other, while the remaining two teams – Wexford and Offaly – meet in what will probably be the relegation decider.

CORK County Board have called for fair play after All-Ireland-winning captain Graham Canty was snubbed for a trip to America on St Patrick’s Day.

DÓNAL ÓG CUSACK returns to the Cork team for the first time this year when Galway visit Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Sunday.

NEWLY promoted Kerry stepped up in class against Antrim yesterday in the opening round of Division 2 of the Allianz NHL at Austin Stack Park Tralee, and only faded against more experienced rivals in the final 15 minutes.

CORK manager Denis Walsh has introduced defensive newcomers Stephen McDonnell and Mark Ellis to his team for their Allianz Division 1 Hurling League match with Offaly at Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Sunday. Glen Rovers player McDonnell gets the nod at right corner-back while Millstreet hurler Ellis will line out at centre-back.

AN injury-time goal from sub Thomas O’Rourke fired Ballyduff to the last four of the Kerry Senior Hurling Championship at Austin Stack Park, Tralee on Sunday night.

AN injury-time goal from sub Thomas O’Rourke fired Ballyduff to the last four of the Kerry Senior Hurling Championship at Austin Stack Park, Tralee yesterday.

Westmeath 2-16 Kerry 1-18

NIALL RIGNEY has stepped down as Laois hurling boss in the wake of last Saturday’s surprise All-Ireland championship exit at the hands of Carlow.

CORK attacker Niall McCarthy is set to make his comeback from injury in Sunday’s senior hurling challenge against Galway. The match, which is a repeat of the recent NHL Division 1 final between the counties, takes place in Castlelyons at 5pm.

LAST month they were celebrating promotion from NHL Division 3A but today it’s back to basics for the Kerry hurlers as they face Down in the opening round of the Christy Ring Cup in Newry.

TOMÁS Ó SÉ and Paul Galvin both return to the Kerry lineup for tomorrow’s NFL Division One relegation clash against Monaghan in Fitzgerald Stadium.