Lixnaw (Kerry) 3-11 Ballyhea (Cork) 1-14

Ballyhea 1-17 Newcestown 0-16

Welcome to your Monday morning briefing. Let us ensure you’re up to speed on what’s happening and are prepared for the day ahead.

Premier IHC semi-final

Cork Premier IHC: Ballyhea 1-25 Mallow 2-10

Kilworth 0-16 Ballyhea 0-11

Ballyhea 4-17 Carrigaline 5-10

Ballinhassig stormed into the last four of the Premier IHC on Saturday night after a terrific four-point victory over Ballyhea in Mallow.

Ballyhea can approach their Premier IHC quarter-final with Ballinhassig in confident mood after eliminating Kilbrittain at Coachford on Saturday.

Between 1991 and 2006 Cork held Tipperary in check in senior hurling, with the Premier County forced to play second fiddle when the two sides met.

Former All-Ireland winning Clare captain and current Dublin hurling boss, Anthony Daly

Neil Ronan was the hero for Ballyhea when his late free from the touchline sealed a 0-13 to 0-12 win over Newcestown in a heated Premier IHC meeting in Mallow yesterday.

At the ceremony to honour his achievement of winning the Rebel Óg Sports Award for February, Pa O’Callaghan was asked to say a few words.

Man of the match James Coughlan admitted that Munster’s 29-11 win over Treviso in Thomond Park last night was a much needed return to form after last week’s disappointing loss to Ulster.

Tomas O’Leary and John Hayes will have to settle for a place on the substitute’s bench for Munster’s opening RaboDirectPRO12 match against the Newport Gwent Dragons at Musgrave Park on Saturday night.

Tomás O’Leary is several weeks away from making a return to competitive action with Munster.

IN strictly hurling terms he’s had the best of a number of worlds, has Stephen Molumphy.

THERE’S a familiar ring to Tipperary boss Liam Sheedy’s youth policy for tomorrow’s Munster SHC clash with Cork.

Cork 1-20 Limerick 2-16

2008 team colleagues Seán Óg Ó hAilpín and Jerry O’Connor return to the Cork colours for Sunday’s Allianz NHL clash with Limerick at Páirc Uí Chaoimh.

Interim Cork hurling boss John Considine has named his side to face Clare in the National league on Sunday.

TEN of the Cork team that started in last August’s semi-final defeat to Kilkenny, were named in the starting 15 last night for Cork’s NHL Division One trip to Clare on Sunday.

THOSE harbouring ambitions of playing a part in the RBS 6 Nations will be hoping to impress their respective national coaches in tonight’s intriguing Ireland A-England Saxons tie at Donnybrook (kick-off 7.35pm).

ANYONE in the crowd of more than 3,000 in Fermoy yesterday expecting fireworks was sorely disappointed.

In the wake of comments by some of their senior intercounty hurlers in recent days, Cork officials have called for calm on Leeside and for players to show restraint for the greater good of Cork hurling.

THE CLOCK is already ticking as the stand-off in Cork GAA circles continues, with the senior hurlers scheduled to play a challenge game in less than a month.

MOTIVATION won’t be lacking when Munster clash with Glasgow Warriors on Saturday night (7pm) in a Magners League clash that marks the re-opening of Thomond Park.

JOHN HAYES returns after illness to the Munster team for his first Magners League game this season against bogey team Cardiff at Musgrave Park tonight (7.30pm).

ALAN QUINLAN is back in the Munster squad for Saturday’s Magners League clash with Cardiff Blues at Musgrave Park (7.30pm).

IN what is Munster’s first home game since winning the Heineken Cup in May, Tony McGahan has kept faith with 11 of the side that started in last weekend’s impressive 46-22 win over the USA Eagles for tonight’s sell-out friendly with London Irish at Musgrave Park (7.30pm).

Cork manager Gerald McCarthy has given under-fire full-back Diarmuid O'Sullivan a vote of confidence by naming him in his team for Sunday's GAA Hurling All-Ireland semi-final against Kilkenny (throw-in 4pm).

Playing their third win-or-bust championship game in 15 days almost proved too much for Cork's senior hurlers yesterday, but another gritty second-half comeback was enough to see them past Clare.

IN THE aftermath of another heart-stopping victory, Cork boss Gerald McCarthy was sipping a cold drink, putting the swirl of events into some kind of order.

IT NOW seems garlic and a wooden stake will be necessary to finish Cork. The men in red overcame a nine-point deficit to reel in Clare in yesterday’s All-Ireland quarter-final, a stunning turnaround which looked out of the question at half-time.

Cork 2-19 Clare 2-17

Defensive duo Ronan Curran and Sean Og O'hAilpin have recovered from their respective injuries to be named in the Cork team for Saturday's GAA All-Ireland SHC fourth phase qualifier against Galway (Semple Stadium, throw-in 7pm).

ALL-IRELAND SHC THIRD PHASE QUALIFIER: CORK 1-17 DUBLIN 0-15

Cork manager Gerald McCarthy has made five changes to his team - two in defence and three in attack - for Saturday's All-Ireland SHC qualifier against Dublin (Pairc Ui Chaoimh, throw-in 5pm).

THE Cork senior hurling selectors have wielded the axe, making five changes from the side that lost to Tipperary in the Munster championship semi-final for Saturday’s All-Ireland qualifier against Dublin at Páirc Uí Chaoimh (5pm).

Avondhu 2-12 Cork IT 0-17 (aet)

IT SHOULD have been an Evening Echo Cork SHC double-header to savour, but neither the meeting of St Finbarr’s and Blackrock in the opener, nor the ensuing Glen Rovers and Na Piarsaigh clash at Páirc Ui Chaoimh lived up to expectation for the 5,000 plus crowd.

BALLINCOLLIG are back in the hunt for Evening Echo Cork Co Premier IHC glory.

A POINT from a Neil Ronan free three minutes into injury time earned Ballyhea a draw in a thrilling Premier IHC second round tie at Páirc Uí Chaoimh last night.

PAUDIE O’SULLIVAN, younger brother of full-back Diarmuid, will make his first start in this season’s League when Cork take on Galway in the semi-final at the Limerick Gaelic Grounds on Sunday.