On the eve of the 2018 Championship, Eoin Kelly complained about knowing so little about what was happening inside Michael Ryan’s camp.

Kilkenny are still just one victory away from being in an All-Ireland SHC semi-final despite their three-point loss to Wexford in the Leinster final last Sunday.

Pat Horgan’s ears have been burning for the last few weeks with high praise coming from all quarters.

Former county star Timmy Hammersley scored 1-16 for Clonoulty-Rossmore as the county and West Tipp champions had a comfortable win over newly promoted Cashel King Cormacs, 1-27 to 0-16, in the West Tipperary SHC at Dundrum.

Reigning Fitzgibbon Cup champions UL have a job on their hands to emerge from the group of death after losing their opening fixture to UCC this afternoon.

As he takes the call in the office of his Toyota dealership in Clonmel, John Kennedy looks at the framed photograph of Clonoulty-Rossmore’s 1997 senior county-winning team. The win, over Mullinahone, doubled the two-time All-Ireland SHC winner’s county senior medal haul, following the 1989 success against Holycross-Ballycahill.

It might be 15 years on from Clare’s last Championship win over Tipperary, but the trauma stays with Brian O’Meara.

There were no major shocks as the Tipperary SFC got underway, with holders Clonmel Commercials and leading rivals Loughmore-Castleiney among those recording first round victories.

Two goals down after four minutes, county champions Thurles Sarsfields recovered well to see off Kilruane MacDonaghs in the Tipperary senior hurling championship second round at Templemore yesterday. 

Champions Thurles Sarsfields set down a marker for those aspiring to take their title from them when they romped to a 5-32 to 0-7 win over Carrick Swans in their opening game in defence of the Tipperary senior hurling title at Cashel.

There are fears that Tipperary’s 2010 All-Ireland winning captain Eoin Kelly may have played his last competitive game after he sustained cruciate knee ligament damage last weekend.

Thurles, Kiladangan, Killenaule and Clonoulty-Rossmore advance to semis after two Semple Stadium double-headers.

It’s a long time since a Tipperary defensive unit went through Munster SHC campaign intact, even a successful one at that.

Drom-Inch and Loughmore-Castleiney progressed to the Mid Tipp SHC final with comfortable wins over Holycross-Ballycahill and Moycarkey-Borris at Boherlahan.

The dream week for Tipperary hurling, anything but for neighbours Limerick.

Sean Curran was the toast of Mullinahone after his goal from a penalty in injury-time ensured victory over Éire Óg Nenagh 2-13 to 0-17 in Templemore.

A night at the dogs intended as a fundraiser went ahead last night as a celebration of the life of c after the Tipperary player died on Thursday night.

Killenaule 0-21 Mullinahone 2-13: John “Bubbles” O’Dwyer punched the air with delight as he rounded off Killenaule’s victory in the South Tipperary final yesterday with his ninth point of the day, a week after experiencing the other extreme of sporting emotions.

Brian Horgan hopes to be celebrating on the double tomorrow evening.

Former All Star Eoin Kelly was back in action for Mullinahone after an extended lay-off, and helped guide them to a 1-21 to 2-16 win over Ballingarry in an exciting South Tipperary SHC semi-final at Fethard.

Firstly, let me congratulate you on your excellent Gaelic games coverage, which I look forward to reading each day, and especially on Monday.

Recently-retired Tipperary defender Paul Curran has accepted a position on manager Eamon O’Shea’s backroom team for the championship summer.

Tipperary manager Eamon O’Shea has trimmed a number of players, including 2010 All-Ireland SHC medallist Paul Curran, from his squad ahead of this summer’s championship.

Tipperary hurling icon Eoin Kelly says the Premier County must hit the ground running this year, writes Michael Moynihan.

Eoin Kelly remembers his last point for Tipperary. A summer Saturday evening in O’Moore Park against Offaly in the 2014 qualifiers and the number 20 on his back.

Thurles Sarsfields 2-22 Loughmore-Castleiney 3-11

Loughmore-Castleiney 3-22 Mullinahone 0-14

Tipperary SHC: Champions Loughmore-Castleiney defeated Clonoulty-Rossmore 0-17 to 2-10 in a nail-biting finish to this quarter-final at Semple Stadium on Saturday.

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.

Tipperary senior hurling champions, Loughmore-Castleiney suffered a shock defeat in the Mid Division’s SHC semi-final, losing to Upperchurch -Drombane 2-19 to 1-21 after extra-time at Templemore yesterday.

Former Tipperary defender Declan Fanning has accused county board officials of not realising what it takes to prepare for an All-Ireland final after calls for the postponement of the weekend’s scheduled club fixtures were rejected.

Tipperary’s aspirations of securing a Munster semi-final berth have been dealt a massive blow with free-taker Shane Hennessy ruled out with cruciate ligament damage.

Limerick begin the defence of their Munster MHC title at the Gaelic Grounds tonight (7pm) against Tipperary, the county they beat in last year’s semi-final (1-17 to 0-17) en-route to claiming a first minor provincial crown since 1984.

Two injury-time points gave Clonmel Commercials a 1-8 to 1-6 victory over great rivals Clonmel Óg in the Tipperary SFC at Monroe on Saturday evening.

The light may be getting dimmer on this Kilkenny team but they are raging wildly against it.

Cork have named the same side that beat Clare in the Munster SFC semi-final for Sunday’s provincial decider against Kerry.