A huge weekend of senior hurling activity saw the Tipperary SHC championship reduced to the last eight, and while there were no major upsets, there were some very significant results, not least the victory of Thurles Sarsfields over Drom-Inch.

There are four changes in the Tipperary side for Sunday’s clash with Dublin at Semple Stadium in the final round of Division 1A of the Allianz Hurling League (2pm).

Galway 3-16 Tipperary 1-19

Loughmore-Castleiney 1-17 Nenagh Éire Óg 1-16

Loughmore-Castleiney and Éire Óg Nenagh, as expected, qualified for the Tipperary SHC quarter-finals with comfortable round four wins over Roscrea and Silvermines respectively on Saturday evening.

Eoin Kelly’s nine points were not enough to save Mullinahone from a heavy drubbing (1-18 to 0-9) by Éire Óg, Nenagh in the second round of the Tipperary senior hurling championship at Boherlahan.

Tipperary 1-20 Limerick IT 2-12

Tipperary 1-20 Limerick IT 2-12

The last time Tipperary and Clare met in a Munster U21 hurling final, two years ago, Tipperary had a team chockful of stars.

County U21 star Justin Cahill gave a man-of-the-match performance as Kilruane MacDonaghs defeated Knockavilla Kickhams 1-20 to 0-16 in the delayed Tipperary SHC first round clash at Templetuohy last night.

The curtain-raiser at Páirc Uí Chaoimh yesterday, the Munster IHC semi-final, went Tipperary’s way after beating Cork.

They’ll be on opposite teams and opposite sides of the pitch in Semple Stadium on Sunday in the final round of this year’s Allianz Hurling League, but John O’Brien (Tipp) and Cathal Naughton (Cork) were all comradely smiles in the most unlikely setting of Mitchelstown Caves yesterday as they posed for a few publicity pictures.

UCC, the hosts and favourites, booked their place in today’s Fitzgibbon Cup final and in the process set up the first all-Cork college decider in the history of the event.

Honours even at the end of a first-round Fitzgibbon Cup derby that never got off the ground at UL yesterday.

THURLES SARSFIELDS stayed on course for a third successive Tipperary SHC title, seeing off the challenge of Loughmore-Castleiney by 3-17 to 2-16 in a thrilling quarter-final at Semple Stadium on Saturday.

COUNTY star Seamus Callanan capped a sensational display with the winning score from a 90m injury time free to give Drom-Inch a 2-16 to 1-18 over Burgess in Saturday’s Tipperary SHC fourth round tie at Templemore.

THERE were two close calls but no upsets in the weekend’s Tipperary senior hurling championship.

A LACK of fear between counties has maintained the quality of the Munster championship, according to Tipperary captain Eoin Kelly.

WHEN Tipperary selector Michael Gleeson walked into the senior dressing-room for the first time, there were a plethora of familiar faces.

Tipperary 0-17 Wexford 1-14

Tipperary manager Declan Ryan and his Wexford counterpart Colm Bonnar have finalised their teams for tomorrow's Allianz Hurling League Division 1 tie at Semple Stadium (throw-in 2.30pm).

THE final round of games in the two top divisions of the Allianz Hurling League this weekend and plenty still to play for.

Tipperary 5-22 Galway 0-12

Lorrha & Dorrha clubman Ciaran Hough has been named in the Tipperary side for tonight's All-Ireland U-21 Hurling Championship final against Galway in Thurles (throw-in 7pm).

THE contentious choice of venue for tonight’s All-Ireland U21 decider has dominated the headlines this week but irrespective of where this game was played, Tipperary were always likely to be installed as strong favourites.

ELAN Corp investor Ib Sonderby has proposed four candidates for the Irish drugmaker’s board, including Athena Neurosciences co-founder Larry Fritz.

The All-Ireland Under-21 Hurling Championship final between Galway and Tipperary will proceed as planned at Semple Stadium on Saturday evening (throw-in 7pm).

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

DUBLIN boss Richie Stakelum has drafted David Quinn and Ciaran Brennan into his team for tomorrow’s Bord Gais Energy All-Ireland U21HC semi-final against Galway in Tullamore.

THE winning momentum generated by their senior side’s pulsating success last Sunday was maintained by the Tipperary U21 hurlers in Semple Stadium last night as they swept to victory over last year’s All-Ireland champions Clare in the Bord Gáis Energy Munster U21HC final.

All-Ireland champions Clare exited the Bord Gáis Energy Under-21 Hurling Championship tonight as Tipperary captured the Munster title.

FOR the second year running extra-time was necessary to facilitate an outcome to a Bord Gáis Energy Munster U21HC tie between Tipperary and Cork last night in Páirc Ui Chaoimh, and once again it was Tipperary who prevailed in this semi-final after a marathon battle.

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.

RORY O’CARROLL has been ruled out of the Dublin side for tomorrow night’s Bord Gáis Energy Leinster U21HC final against Wexford due to his involvement with the Dublin senior footballers in next Saturday’s All-Ireland qualifier against Armagh.

Offaly 2-14 Tipperary 1-18

DAVID CUNNINGHAM, Glen Rovers, takes over the full back slot left vacant by the injury to Eoin Cadogan for Cork’s last game in the preliminary rounds of the Allianz NHL against Galway at Pearse Stadium on Sunday.

UNIVERSITY of Limerick are sweating on the fitness of leading attacker Willie Ryan ahead oftomorrow’s Ulster Bank Fitzgibbon Cup semi-final against Waterford IT (Dangan, 2pm).

A known Dublin criminal who tried to sell a stolen motorbike to undercover gardaí has been jailed for two years.

TWO MEN who drowned after rescuing a young couple off Owenahincha Beach in Co Cork were posthumously awarded the Government’s highest honour for their bravery.

NENAGH Vocational School confirmed their superiority over Coláiste Treasa by taking the All-Ireland ‘B’ SHC title in thrilling fashion at Kilmallock yesterday.