No unadorned surface has been left untouched, no bare space undecorated, as walls, animals, bales of hay, and cars have been given the blue and white treatment as Waterford fans prepare for their first All-Ireland final in nine years, with their heroes attempting to bridge a winning gap stretching to 1959.

The mother of a missing Offaly woman has described the level of support for a proposal to name a bridge after her daughter as “very heartening”.

Hello Bud was a gallant winner for the father and son team of Nigel and Sam Twiston-Davies in an eventful race for the totesport.com Becher Handicap Chase over the Grand National fences at Aintree.

Bothy maintained his unbeaten record over timber and qualified himself for the Fred Winter Juvenile Novices’ Handicap Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival with a second success at Taunton.

THE introduction of a back-door system sees the provincial losers of Leinster and Munster get a second chance of All-Ireland colleges hurling glory.