No complaints, said a member of the Midleton backroom as he and his colleagues walked into the Páirc Uí Chaoimh tunnel yesterday, and a Cork senior hurling county final has rarely been summed up as succinctly.

I couldn’t help but think how, with the vast majority of the country covered in a thick blanket of snow over the entire weekend, that perhaps Ireland’s Six Nations title aspirations are written in the stars, writes Donal Lenihan.

The rivalry between two Cork schools, Christian Brothers and Presentation Brothers, has been well documented. The disputes and battle for bragging writes in an ongoing battle for supremacy will continue beyond today’s Munster Senior Cup semi-final.

Thomond Park has played host to many chapters in Munster’s storied rugby journey but pride of place remains the game against the otherwise unbeaten New Zealanders on October 31, 1978, an occasion that understandably claims pride of place in a new book ‘Where Miracles Happen - The Story of Thomond Park’, by Charlie Mulqueen and Brendan O’Dowd.

‘Drop-goal on. Drop-goal taken. Drop-goal good!’ Michael Kiernan is one of only a few people who know what it’s like to get the score to beat England to win the Triple Crown.

It’s funny the things you remember.

The opening weekend of the Heineken Cup has been overshadowed by the off-field threat to the competition’s existence. Despite the threats, accusations and stand-offs, ERC chief executive Derek McGrath still holds out hope that the competition can be saved.

SO much physical and mental energy goes into preparing for an international test match that to have it called off as you are literally about to leave the dressing room must be emotionally draining.

Donncha O’Callaghan today revealed that fear of another roasting from Declan Kidney has sharpened Ireland’s determination to address their discipline problems.

SPARKS flew in Cork’s Opera House on Friday night at a fundraising debate involving some of the GAA’s most high-profile stars.

ONE can only speculate as to the response of the Fijian players when they drew the curtains in their hotel rooms every morning last week to be greeted by rain, rain and more rain.

EVER since the words ‘golden generation’ began to be ascribed to the core of this Ireland team, one always wondered what heights they’d hit if Munster forwards and Leinster backs fused regularly in Six Nations or World Cup campaigns.

CORK Constitution are ideally poised to bridge a 20-year gap when they take on Old Crescent in the final of the ODM Munster Senior Cup at Clifford Park on Sunday (kick-off 2pm).

KEITH EARLS had an inter-national rugby debut to die foron the hallowed ground of Thomond Park when he scored Ireland’s opening try against Canada with his first touch of the ball.

EVEN in death the memory of one of Cork’s great characters lives on — in style.

TWO of the country’s oldest and greatest clubs, Garryowen and Cork Constitution, clash once again this afternoon in the final of the ODM Munster Senior Cup at Thomond Park.

TRIPLE CROWN winners are a small and illustrious cartel. With six titles in the vault, the last in 1985, the current membership figures don’t venture into the treble digits.