Tipperary’s promotion ambitions are hanging by a thread following this second successive league defeat at Semple Stadium yesterday.

Preparations are underway for the senior and U-21 Hurling/Shinty international matches which are due to take place over the coming weeks.

IT must be a major concern to Dublin manager John McEvoy that his players will go into next month’s All-Ireland U21 hurling final against Galway without a decent challenge under their belts.

Dublin sauntered into the Bord Gais Energy All-Ireland Under-21 Hurling final with 26 points to spare over a hapless Antrim at Pairc Esler in Newry.

Last year's beaten All-Ireland Under-21 Football Championship finalists Donegal kickstarted their 2011 campaign with a victory over Antrim.

Antrim, Laois and DIT picked up wins in the Walsh Cup, while Armagh and Wicklow were victorious in the Kehoe Cup following today's hurling action across Leinster.

ANY concerns Liam Sheedy held about the well-being of his young Tipperary senior stars were eased in the early exchanges of Saturday’s Bord Gáis Energy All-Ireland U-21HC semi-final in Tullamore.

All-Ireland U-21 HC semi-final

ANTRIM’S U21 hurlers remain on course to retain their title after a four-point win over Down at a rain-lashed Casement Park last night.

THE sky is the limit for an Irish company and its boss after creating software that could save airlines around the world billions of euro a year by revolutionising the way they manage spare parts for their aircraft.