VICTORIOUS All-Ireland minor winning manager Matt Murphy rounded off a great year when he guided his club Gort to their sixth Galway SHC title with a deserved success in front of a crowd of almost 9,000 at Pearse Stadium yesterday.

THEY may have missed out on the trip of a lifetime to Australia, but Mark Kerins couldn’t be happier to have another Galway hurling final to look forward to.

Clarinbridge 2-18 O'Loughlin Gaels 0-12

Leinster 1-23 Connacht 0-17

LEINSTER manager John Conran has drafted Kilkenny duo Jackie Tyrrell and Eoin Larkin into his side for tomorrow’s M Donnelly Inter-provincial hurling final against Connacht at Pearse Stadium.

Diarmuid Cloonan and Mark Kerins have been drafted into the Connacht side for Saturday's M Donnelly Interprovincial Hurling final against Leinster (Pearse Stadium, throw-in 4.45pm).

Munster 1-16 Connacht 2-17

Portumna's Eoin Lynch will make his championship debut when Galway meet Westmeath in their final All-Ireland SHC Group A qualifier tomorrow evening (Pearse Stadium, throw-in 7.00pm).

Waterford 1-25 Galway 2-20,

Alan Kerins banged in four goals as Galway got their All-Ireland SHC qualifier campaign off to a thrilling start in Portlaoise.

Galway hurling manager Conor Hayes has confirmed his panel for the forthcoming All-Ireland SHC qualifiers with teenage sensation Joe Canning a notable absentee.

Galway manager Conor Hayes has altered his attack for tomorrow's crucial NHL Division 1B tussle with Tipperary (Semple Stadium, throw-in 3.30pm).

Galway manager Conor Hayes has made two changes in personnel and a number of positional switches for tomorrow's NHL Division 1B clash with Limerick (Pearse Stadium, throw-in 2.30pm).

WATERFORD make one change from the team that narrowly defeated Wexford for tomorrow’s NHL clash with All-Ireland champions Cork at Páirc Uí Rinn.

Galway failed to end their 17-year wait for an All-Ireland senior hurling title at Croke Park today as champions Cork retained the Liam McCarthy Cup in manager John Allen's first season in charge.

Champions Cork hold a two-point lead at half-time in today’s 117th Guinness All-Ireland Senior Hurling Final, which is being watched by a sell-out 82,300 Croke Park crowd.

Whatever way you look at this afternoon's All-Ireland senior hurling final between champions Cork and pretenders to the throne Galway, it seems John Allen's Rebels will come out on top (Croke Park, throw-in 3.30pm).

Kilkenny seem to have the knack of reaching - and more often than not - winning All-Ireland finals and today Galway try upset that trend in the Guinness SHC semi-final at Croke Park (3.30pm).

Galway staged a dramatic Croke Park comeback, hitting a goal and six points in the final 13 minutes of the first of today's All-Ireland SHC quarter-finals, to edge out Tipperary and book their place in the last four.

At 5.15pm, there's a distinct chance that all four semi-final spots in this year's All-Ireland hurling championship could be occupied by Munster counties.

Alan Kerins, an Under-21 All-Ireland winner in 1996, has returned to the Galway line-up for Sunday's All-Ireland SHC quarter-final tie with Tipperary (Croke Park, throw-in 2pm).

Group One leaders Galway have made two changes for tomorrow's televised All-Ireland SHC qualifier tie against Limerick at the Gaelic Grounds (throw-in 7pm).

TYRONE have named an unchanged team for Sunday’s Ulster final clash with Armagh at Croke Park.

The Galway hurlers have made one change ahead of their All-Ireland SHC second round qualifier against Antrim tomorrow at Pearse Stadium (throw-in 3pm).

Waterford boss Justin McCarthy has to plan without the services of star trio Ken McGrath, Paul Flynn and Tony Browne for today's NHL Division 1A encounter with Laois at O'Moore Park.

GALWAY fans still shudder at the thought.

Connacht 1-15 Munster 0-9

Munster take on Connacht in today's M Donnelly Interprovincial Hurling final at Pearse Stadium, Galway, intent on avoiding a hat-trick of disappointments in the competition.

IT may not be Rome in October, but Munster’s hurlers are intent on making up for recent heartaches when they take on Connacht in the M Donnelly Inter-provincial final in Pearse Park tomorrow.

Connacht have named their side to face Munster in Sunday's M Donnelly Interprovinical hurling championship final at Pearse Stadium, Galway.

Kilkenny have hammered Galway in the Guinness Hurling Championship Round Three Qualifier today.

Galway 0-07 Kilkenny 1-09

Three years ago, Kilkenny lined up against Galway in the All-Ireland semi-final.

Galway coach Conor Hayes has named an unchanged side from that which beat Down in their All-Ireland qualifer for Sunday's clash with All-Ireland champions Kilkenny.

Down 1-14 Galway 5-19

Down 1-14 Galway 5-19

Galway boss Conor Hayes has named a strong side for their championship opener against Down on Saturday.

Galway 2-15 Waterford 1-13

Galway boss Conor Hayes has left a vacancy at midfield ahead of Sunday's NHL Division One final against Waterford at the Gaelic Grounds.

FT: Galway 3-15 Limerick 1-10, Pearse Stadium.

HT: Galway 0-07 Limerick 0-08, Pearse Stadium.

FORMER ALL-Ireland SHC winning manager Liam Griffin has slammed the decision of past GAA presidents not to amend Rule 42 before Congress.