It’s not that Clare’s opening salvo in this year’s National League was a box-ticking exercise, but as soon as the final whistle sounded to signal this facile 16-point victory it’s safe to say that everyone of a saffron and blue hue was moving towards next Sunday’s mouth-watering clash with Wexford.

As expected Clare opened their National League campaign under new manager Brian Lohan in impressive fashion as they eased to a comprehensive 16-point victory over Colm Bonnar’s Carlow in Ennis.

Few counties have as little time for romance as Kilkenny and their county champions duly put paid to the fairytale run of St Mullins in this AIB Leinster senior club hurling decider in Portlaoise on Sunday afternoon.

Rathdowney-Errill steamrolled St Rynagh’s in Portlaoise to set up a Leinster Club SHC semi-final meeting with St Mullin's.

St Mullin's produced the shock of the club championship weekend as the Carlow representatives stunned former All-Ireland champions, Cuala, at Netwatch Cullen Park.

All the GAA action is here.

Trillick 0-12 Errigal Ciaran 2-4

For long stages in this compelling Cork SHC third round in Mallow on Saturday, it looked like championship newcomers Charleville might prevail.

Charleville proved too strong for 14-man Mallow in the RedFM Division 2 HL final in Buttevant today.

Eddie Brennan's Laois hurlers have pulled off the shock of the summer – and maybe many more besides - with an astonishing two-point defeat of Dublin in the All-Ireland preliminary quarter-final.

Cian Lynch, Declan Hannon, Gearoid Hegarty, and Graeme Mulcahy have been restored to the Limerick team for tomorrow’s Munster hurling final.

There has been no wielding of the axe by the Clare management in the wake of last weekend’s 13-point hammering at the hands of Tipperary, with the team named for tomorrow’s game against Limerick showing just one change in personnel.

Ephie Fitzgerald has made two changes to his Cork attack for today’s TG4 Munster Senior Championship clash with Kerry (Páirc Uí Rinn, 5pm).

This fixture is part of a double-header at the Cork city venue, and precedes the Munster GAA SFC semi-final between Cork and Limerick at the same venue (7pm).

Carlow's first home game in this year's Leinster senior hurling championship may have made for a heartwarming tale but Kilkenny have never been ones for romance or fairytales.

Martin Kavanagh fired 11 points for Carlow, but he was unable to get them over the line for victory as Galway claimed the win in their Leinster SHC opener at Pearse Stadium.

Laois took a huge step towards reaching the Joe McDonagh cup final yesterday when they outlasted Offaly in Tullamore, racking up 34 points despite shooting 17 wides over the course of the game.

Limerick posted a predictably straightforward victory in this Allianz Hurling League Division One quarter-final on Saturday evening.

Offaly’s two top forwards Joe Bergin and Shane Dooley hit a combined 4-4 as the Faithful County claimed their first Allianz Hurling League 1B points of the campaign with a deserved victory over Carlow in a game which started in a downpour and ended in a snowstorm at Netwatch Cullen Park.

OFFALY'S two top forwards Joe Bergin and Shane Dooley hit a combined 4-4 as the Faithful County claimed their first NHL Division 1B points of the campaign with a deserved seven-point victory over Carlow in a game which started in a downpour and ended in a snowstorm at Netwatch Cullen Park.

It wasn't always pretty from Dublin at rain-drenched Parnell Park but Mattie Kenny's men dug deep to secure the win and top spot in Division 1B of the Allianz NHL.

So far, so good for Paraic Fanning in Division 1B of the Allianz League.

A first-half blitz from Laois saw them claim a crucial Allianz Hurling League Division 1B win over Offaly on Saturday night.

Galway split their squad at the weekend, with half of them playing Ballygunner in a challenge match in Claregalway and the remainder brushing Laois aside in their opening game in Division 1B yesterday at Pearse Stadium.

Cork champions Charleville had too much pace and firepower for a depleted Lixnaw side in Saturday’s AIB Munster Club IHC semi-final.

A late flurry of scores from Laois masked the dominant nature of Offaly’s performance at

Two goals in little over two minutes midway through the second-half advanced UL to the Fitzgibbon Cup final.

Fitzgibbon Cup: IT Carlow 1-22 - Mary Immaculate, Limerick 0-22: Fourteen-man IT Carlow, coached by Kilkenny legend DJ Carey, laid down an impressive marker when taking the scalp of defending Fitzgibbon Cup champions Mary Immaculate of Limerick in a thrilling, full-blooded opening-round tie at the Heywood Community College in Laois yesterday.

Omagh 0-10, Errigal Ciaran 0-8...Omagh’s second Tyrone SFC triumph in four years owes much to a sound defensive system with former Tyrone star Joe McMahon at its heart.

Carlow 5-23 - Antrim 4-15: Carlow boss Colm Bonnar admitted his players forgot about the title at stake, and the place in the All-Ireland qualifiers, and simply focused on finally beating Antrim.

Laois secured their third straight win in this Leinster SHC Round Robin qualifier and advance with confidence to face Wexford in the Leinster SHC quarter-final. 

Mary I 3-24 IT Carlow 1-19: DJ Carey said that Mary I manager Jamie Wall is an inspirational figure who could enjoy a successful career in charge of county teams.

IT Carlow 2-20 UCC 1-20: IT Carlow manager DJ Carey has no clue what shape his bruised and battered team will be in for today’s Fitzgibbon Cup final, but says whatever happens they’re in bonus territory now.

IT Carlow 2-20 UCC 1-20 (AET): Stephen Maher hit 11 points as IT Carlow reached their first Fitzgibbon Cup final at the expense of UCC in Dangan.

IT Carlow 4-16

Dublin 2-26 UCD 0-21: Holders Dublin completed their second successive Walsh Cup win, beating UCD at Parnell Park last night. 

GAA Interprovincial hurling final