For the eighth time since 2001 the Kildare SFC final will be a Newbridge derby between Moorefield and Sarsfields after both won their semi-finals.

Five months on from retaining their Division 1A status through the play-offs, UCC are the early leaders of the Energia All-Ireland League following a terrific 30-20 win at Dublin University.

LAST weekend offered another illustration of the wealth of young talent inhabiting Irish weigh rooms at the moment.

Four powerful strikers have battled their way through the most demanding of weather conditions to contest this morning’s semi-finals of the AIG Irish Close Championship at Ballybunion.

This was a gripping affair between the Cork side and Naas right throughout with very little between the teams.

Clontarf centre Sean O’Brien is determined to follow in his older brother Conor’s footsteps and win an All-Ireland League title at the Aviva Stadium next Sunday.

Your Sunday rugby round-up.

Breed the best to the best and hope for the best is an ideology that has been knocking around racing for years.

St Michael's Enniskillen landed their first-ever Hogan Cup after surviving a fraught finish to their final against Naas CBS.

Naas CBS racked up a magnificent six-point victory in Mallow today over Pobalscoil Chorca Dhuibhne to qualify for their first Masita All Ireland PPS senior A football championship final.

Ireland Under-20 Grand Slam winner Rob Russell got among the tries as Dublin University claimed the scalp of All-Ireland League leaders Cork Constitution to take a step closer to a historic semi-final place.

Naas CBS retained their Brother Bosco Cup crown with a hard-fought extra-time win over Wicklow Schools in Parnell Park last night.

NAAS CBS retained their Bro Bosco title with a hard fought extra time win over Wicklow Schools in Parnell Park last night.

Equine Flu is the talk of racing at the moment. I don’t know what’s going to happen or what the repercussions might be. The BHA are obviously trying to contain it. But one of the horses that ran in Ayr the other day has it now, so I don’t know how long racing in the UK will be off, writes Ruby Walsh

Three teams in the lower half of All-Ireland League Division 1A all won on Saturday

I’m in Sandown today for just one ride and it’s one I’ve been looking forward to for a long time. It will be my first time riding Laurina in public but I’ve ridden her a fair bit at home and I love the feel she gives you.

Kildare’s Conor O’Rourke has work to do heading into this morning’s second round of the European Tour qualifying school first stage event at Obidos, Portugal.

Ballymena’s Dermot McElroy this morning begins his bid to earn a European Tour card when he tees it up in Suffolk at qualifying school.

Mallow’s James Sugrue and Peter O’Keeffe (Douglas) have been nominated by the Golfing Union of Ireland to compete in the 36-hole Dubai Duty Free Irish Open qualifier.

Rowan Lester is just five shots off the lead at the 123rd Amateur Championship after a superb opening round at Murcar Links.

Kilkenny teenager Mark Power is gunning to become the youngest winner of the West of Ireland since Rory McIlroy in 2006 after he completed two impressive wins on the opening day of matchplay combat at Rosses Point.

Cork Constitution 26 Buccaneers 0: Gerry Hurley was thrilled to have participated in one of Cork Constitution’s most impressive Ulster Bank League performances of the season at Temple Hill on Saturday.

Munster Development XV 10 Ireland U20 26: Two tries in the dying minutes by right winger Peter Sullivan gave Ireland U20 a flattering 26-10 victory over a Munster Development XV in a hard-fought but scrappy encounter at Thomond Park yesterday.

Ruby Walsh was taken to hospital with a suspected broken leg following a fall from Let's Dance at Punchestown.

Jackie Lavin's High Court action against her partner Bill Cullen and one of his companies over an alleged failure to complete a €1m deal for the sale of Killegy House in Co Kerry to the businesswoman has been resolved.

Lansdowne 24 Cork Constitution 10: Scott Deasy came back to scupper his former club on the Aviva Stadium’s back pitch yesterday as Lansdowne earned a 24-10 win over Ulster Bank League champions Cork Constitution.

Three Irish stars made it through to the second stage of the European Tour qualifying school after top-20 finishes at Frilford Heath, Oxfordshire.

Joe Schmidt’s young son Tim scored the bonus point try for Terenure College as they won their Dublin 6W derby with St. Mary’s College to continue their excellent start.

Skerries teenager Ciaran Frawley converted four of UCD’s five tries and kicked a penalty as they dished out a 36-8 derby defeat to Dublin University, moving to the top of Ulster Bank League Division 1A in the process.

Johne Murphy has quickly established his credentials as a coach just two years after signing off on a memorable career that saw him play over 200 top class games for Leicester, Munster, Emerging Ireland and the Wolfhounds.

Gavin Moynihan will hope to make it a glorious homecoming at the Irish Challenge hosted by Mount Wolseley Hotel, Spa, and Golf Resort, as he targets a maiden Challenge Tour victory.

Nine of the eleven-strong Irish team that achieved a Grand Slam in last year’s Home Internationals and in the process completed a hat-trick of successes in the championship have entered for the Pierse Motors South of Ireland, starting with the first of two qualifying rounds at Lahinch next Wednesday.

Six PGA in Ireland professionals will compete at next week’s Dubai Duty Free Irish Open, hosted by the Rory Foundation at Portstewart.

Conor O’Rourke will spearhead the Irish attack as 16 stars travel to Scotland for the start of St Andrews Links Trophy today.

Conor O’Rourke, Naas, put a stuttering start to the season behind him by scorching to a stunning five under par 66 to grab a two-stroke lead after the first qualifying round of the Radisson Blu sponsored West of Ireland Amateur Open Championship at Co Sligo.

England may be chasing immortality, but David Wallace believes Ireland will be the hungrier team when the pair meet on Saturday.

Robbie Power is confident the Timico Cheltenham Gold Cup trip is within Sizing John’s compass.

The funeral took place in Cahir, Co Tipperary, yesterday of a 20-year-old student who died suddenly of meningitis.