Former electrician Cormac Lally turned his passion for poetry into a business where he writes wedding speeches in verse, says Marjorie Brennan.

At 35, with a wife and two babies at home and a portfolio of business interests, Bernard Brogan would have been forgiven for following Paul Flynn’s recent lead and quitting Dublin.

Emma Duggan’s early goal paved the way for last year’s beaten finalists Meath who finally gained promotion to the second tier of the Lidl NFL with a comfortable Division 3 final win over Sligo.

Cork City retained the Munster Senior Cup for the third year on the spin as goals from Darragh Rainsford, Dan Smith and Liam Nash saw off a battling Midleton side in last night’s final at Turners Cross.

St Thomas’ boss Kevin Lally reckons Henry Shefflin is destined for the Kilkenny manager’s hotseat after guiding Ballyhale Shamrocks to the All-Ireland Club final at the first attempt.

A man who bought two cruiser berths on a River Shannon marina - which turned out to be "useless" - has been awarded more than €59,000 by the High Court for breach of contract.

Liam Mellows claimed their first Galway SHC title in 47 years with a composure that belied their final inexperience in Pearse Stadium.

St Thomas 1-11 Gort 0-10: St Thomas manager John Burke insisted that his side have what it takes to go all the way to All-Ireland glory for the second time, after they were deserving winners of the Galway SHC title yesterday.

The management firm that operated one of the most popular tourist attractions in the country, Kylemore Abbey, posted retained profits of €1.6m last year.

Dublin 1-28 Galway 1-19: It wasn’t exactly revenge for 2015 but victory at Parnell Park to secure a Walsh Cup final place at Croke Park must have been sweet for Dublin.

Walsh Cup - Galway 1-16 DCU 0-17: After all the turmoil of the last few months, there was an air of relief around Duggan Park in Ballinasloe yesterday as Galway got back out on the pitch for their first match since the All-Ireland final loss to Kilkenny.

Cobh Ramblers 1 Avondale United 2 (After extra-time)

Galway 0-20, Kilkenny 0-18: Sometimes a pedestrian game produces an exciting finish, but sometimes it produces a conclusion to suit the preamble.

AIB All-Ireland Club SHC semi-final: Gort (Galway) 1-15 Ballyhale Shamrocks (Kilkenny) 2-17

Henry Shefflin rolled back the years with a vintage display as Ballyhale Shamrocks sealed a place in the AIB All-Ireland senior club hurling final this afternoon.

AIB All-Ireland Club SHC semi-final: Gort v Ballyhale: Gort hurling captain Greg Lally is the team’s indisputable leader since the emigration of former captain Andy Coen to Canada last year and he will be expected to lead the side from centre-back in tomorrow’s All-Ireland Club SHC semi-final against Ballyhale Shamrocks.

Net liabilities at the property development group of companies owned by Galway developer John Lally have increased by €66m to over €500m.

Finn Harps 4 Avondale United 1

The Irish-owned Lalco Hotel Group has made its third property acquisition in conjunction with US billionaire businessman, John Malone, via the purchase of Dublin’s five-star Westin Hotel.

A top Limerick hotel is offering four-star, pregnancy treatment to women at a fraction of HSE costs.

Limerick is preparing for a tasty €10m economic French dressing as thousands of Toulouse supporters throng the city today in advance of the Heineken Cup quarter-final clash with Munster in Thomond Park tomorrow.

Waterford United 2 Avondale United 1

For Garry Hynes, artistic director with Druid Theatre Company, 2014 has begun where 2013 ended, with the joyous revival of Dion Boucicault’s 1860 play, The Colleen Bawn.

Christmas has come early at a Limerick hotel where nearly 50% of the venue’s Christmas parties are already booked.

Wearing the famous striped shirt of West Bromwich Albion, Shane Long last night made his first appearance back at Turner’s Cross since leaving for England in 2005, and the one-time Cork City rookie marked the occasion by also registering his first goal at the venue, as the Premier League side eventually ran out easy winners against a mix ‘n’ match home side in front of a crowd of 2,371.

The general manager of a four-star Limerick hotel revealed yesterday it has employed additional staff in response to increased revenues.

The shock closure of a major city hospital a quarter of a century ago will be remembered in Cork this weekend.

RTÉ is to close five of its regional studios and offices, and move operations into institutes of technology in the latest round of cost-saving measures.

In the pursuit of excellence, sportspeople make extraordinary sacrifices.

The general manager of a Limerick four-star hotel yesterday described the impact of Munster rugby as being very important to the success of the hotel.

CROSSMAGLEN RANGERS are furious that their All-Ireland Club FC quarter-final clash with Munster champions Dr Crokes has been fixed for Saturday February 18 at O’Moore Park, Portlaoise (throw-in 2pm).

PAT GILROY was keen to play down the significance of Dublin’s early morning training as they overcame Carlow in their Bord na Mona O’Byrne Cup opener at Dr Cullen Park.

COMPANIES controlled by Galway developer John Lally had net liabilities totalling over €440 million at the end of last year.

SUPPORTERS of a pensioner jailed for not letting the ESB cut down her trees have encouraged householders to boycott the company.

Households should boycott the ESB over the treatment of a pensioner jailed for not letting the electricity company cut down her trees, campaigners said.

COMPANIES controlled by Galway developer John Lally incurred losses of €173 million in 2009.

AN inquest has heard how a Co Clare man was helpless to rescue his father and brother from their burning home.

PAT GILROY wasn’t going to coat this victory with any varnish.

Galway 0-12 Mayo 2-14

Dublin 3-13, Cork 0-16

Armagh 1-11 Dublin 2-12

A STORMING second-half, powered by the magnificence of Mark Vaughan and Brian Kavanagh, sealed Kilmacud Crokes’ seventh Dublin SFC title at Parnell Park yesterday.

MICK LALLY’S driving passions of acting, the Irish language and the struggle for social justice were to the fore in the humanist ceremony which marked the 64-year-old actor’s final journey yesterday in west Dublin.

THE “nation has lost one of its favourite uncles” is how actor Mick Lally’s son Darach summed up the feelings of sadness which spread far beyond his family at the funeral of his father in Dublin yesterday.