Tipperary 0-20 Limerick 0-17: A rousing finish from Tipperary – in which Liam Cahill’s charges hit four unanswered points in the final four minutes of action – put paid to Limerick’s Munster minor hurling three-in-a-row bid.

The absence of Shane Kingston is a major blow to Cork’s hopes of beating Limerick tonight (7.30pm, Gaelic Grounds) for the second time in this year’s Electric Ireland Munster minor hurling championship, manager Denis Ring has admitted.

They’ve contested the last two Electric Ireland Munster minor hurling finals but Waterford or Limerick will bow out of the championship in Thurles this evening (7pm).

Limerick football is not in a state of crisis, board chairman John Cregan has said in the wake of the county’s 10th consecutive Munster minor championship defeat.

Cork 2-20 Limerick 1-13: A blistering 12-minute spell either side of half-time – in which the home outfit hit 1-6 without reply – propelled Cork past the reigning Munster champions to avenge last year’s semi-final defeat.

Limerick GAA chiefs last night rubber-stamped the controversial appointment of John Kiely as U21 hurling manager.

Limerick GAA chiefs have decided against re-appointing Brian Ryan as minor hurling boss — a week after he brought the county to the All-Ireland final.

Former Limerick senior hurling boss Tom Ryan says he is “shocked and disappointed” after GAA chiefs decided not to ratify him as the county’s intermediate manager.

FORMER playing star Leo O’Connor has admitted huge disappointment after losing his job as Limerick U21 hurling manager.

JOHN FITZGERALD will go forward for ratification as the new Limerick U21 hurling manager at a board meeting tonight with former senior star Ollie Moran set to fill a role as a selector in his management team.

THE shame when a county doesn’t go on to win the All-Ireland is it can forget what got it within touching distance of winning the All-Ireland in the first place.

LIMERICK U21 manager Leo O’Connor has hit out at Saturday’s Central Council decision to alter the structure of the Allianz Hurling Leagues next spring.

Galway 0-22 Limerick 2-14

Limerick 4-20 Cork 1-27 (after extra-time)

IN perfect summer conditions, a powerful Limerick side proved too strong for Clare in Cusack Park yesterday as they booked their place against Cork in next Wednesday’s Munster Under-21 hurling final.

IT has been a season of progression for Limerick hurling, their teams making an impression at every level from colleges to senior.

DONAL O’GRADY, former All-Ireland-winning manager with Cork and Irish Examiner columnist, has ruled himself out of the running for the Limerick hurling manager position.

LIMERICK GAA chiefs are prepared to wait until the October meeting of the county board before ratifying their new hurling boss, insisting they won’t rush the Independent Appointments Committee into making a decision.

JOHN O’BRIEN has been drafted into the Tipperary team for Sunday’s All-Ireland semi-final against Waterford in the only change from the side that defeated Galway in the quarter-final.

UTGOING Limerick boss Justin McCarthy has secured a nomination for the position of the county’s senior hurling manager despite a controversial two-year reign in charge on Shannonside.

CHAMPIONS Clare begin the first defence of their Bord Gáis Energy All-Ireland U21HC crown in tonight’s Munster semi-final against Limerick at the Gaelic Grounds and manager John Minogue is hoping his charges can lift hurling in the county after the senior side’s disappointing All-Ireland championship exit last Saturday.

A BRITISH civil servant and an MP’s aide were convicted yesterday of leaking a classified memo about a meeting between Prime Minister Tony Blair and US President George W Bush.

Bishopstown (Cork) 2-17 Claughaun (Limerick) 1-15

FORMER Clare selector and current Irish Examiner columnist Tony Considine yesterday moved to scotch rumours that he would be involved with the Galway hurlers next year.

FOUR peace activists taken hostage in Iraq were shown in an insurgent video broadcast on Arab television yesterday, with a previously unknown group claiming responsibility for the kidnapping.

BRITAIN has warned media organisations they are breaking the law if they publish details of a leaked document said to show US President George W Bush wanted to bomb Arabic television station Al-Jazeera.

A BRITISH civil servant has been charged under Britain’s Official Secrets Act for allegedly leaking a government memo to a newspaper that suggested Tony Blair persuaded George Bush not to bomb the Arab satellite station Al-Jazeera.

Garryspillane 0-17, Adare 1-7

WITH the Limerick footballers having scaled new heights at Pairc Uí Chaoimh last Sunday, the public’s response to this week-end’s opening series of games in the domestic championship will be monitored with interest.