Two goals in the first half of extra-time from Jason Forde sent Tipperary to their second successive Division 1 final after a riveting clash in Thurles.

Forget the existential challenge of watching a 2018 game in 2017, and disregard the bone-chilling rain, writes Michael Moynihan

The 2018 hurling season began with goose-flesh, and bobble hats in chilly Mallow, a seasoned Limerick side enjoying a good win over an experimental Cork fifteen.

A superior Clare qualified for their first Munster final in nine years but not without difficulty as a combination of poor shooting and Limerick’s tenacity made them sweat until the end.

Limerick 1-19 Cork 7-22: Limerick boss John Kiely was clearly unhappy after this drubbing at the hands of Cork in the Munster SHL yesterday in the Gaelic Grounds, describing the 21-point defeat as unacceptable and “a very low point”.

A comfortable win for Cork over Limerick in this Munster senior hurling league clash in the Gaelic Grounds with 1,625 in attendance.

Limerick 0-24 Waterford 1-14: A 15-point swing saw Limerick beat Waterford in this Munster SHL clash in Dungarvan, but neither manager was losing the run of himself after this season opener.

Cork 2-15 Limerick 3-19: Limerick ran out comfortable winners in last night’s Munster U21 hurling championship clash with Cork in Pairc Ui Rinn, two late Cork goals giving the scoreboard a flattering look.

A thundering start to the second half in O’Moore Park sent Kilkenny on their way to a third straight Leinster final.

Dublin 1-20 Cork 0-34

Cork ended Dublin’s bright start to the NHL with extreme prejudice tonight, shooting the lights out in Croke Park to record an emphatic victory.

Cork ended Dublin’s bright start to the NHL with extreme prejudice tonight, shooting the lights out in Croke Park to record an emphatic victory.

Tipperary 4-20 Dublin 0-17

University of Limerick 1-20 Waterford 0-18

DUBLIN champions Ballyboden St Enda’s qualified for the Leinster Club SHC semi-final with a hard-earned two-point victory over Westmeath champions Clonkill in Cusack Park, Mullingar, yesterday.

MUSKERRY entered this Cork SHC tie with three championship wins under their belt, but apart from the opening five minutes, during which the sides were level twice, it was Carrigtwohill who looked the more menacing.

Dolphin 15 Old Belvedere 18

SATURDAY’S Munster Senior Cup semi-final at Clifford Park had all the hallmarks of a Super 14 affair - a feast of open running rugby, two willing teams and tries galore - and the sun even shone brightly.

KILKENNY champions, O’Loughlin-Gaels saved themselves from the grave with only seconds remaining in normal time and then made Ballyboden St Enda’s (Dublin) pay the ultimate price when they scored a daring win in this thrilling Leinster Club SFC semi-final in Nowlan Park yesterday.

LUKE FITZGERALD makes his comeback from long-term injury when Leinster face London Wasps at Donnybrook on Friday (7pm).

BRIAN O’DRISCOLL is battling to be fit for Leinster’s assault on another Heineken Cup title when they meet Clermont Auvergne in the quarter-final on April 9.

IT may be coming up to Valentine’s Day but Galway footballers could be forgiven for thinking it is Halloween after being made watch a horror DVD.

JAMES COUGHLAN is intent on helping Munster A enhance an unbeaten seasonal record when he captains the team in the opening clash of the new British and Irish Cup against English championship side Coventry at Butts Stadium, Coventry, tonight (7.45pm)

THE FAIRYTALE ended for Upperchurch Drombane in Semple Stadium yesterday, a season in which new ground was broken in the Tipperary SHC at both divisional and county level, and a tame ending it was.

MUNSTER’S youngsters, with a little help from some seasoned campaigners, turned in an impressive performance and secured a deserved win over Leinster in this A clash in Waterford yesterday.

Thurles CBS 0-11 Our Lady’s (Templemore) 0-5

A BLISTERING start provided the springboard for a second group stage victory for reigning Harty Cup champions De La Salle College at the expense of Our Lady’s CBS (Templemore) at New Inn yesterday.

MICHAEL WEBSTER is pushing hard for a place in Tipperary’s starting 15 for Sunday’s All-Ireland SFC semi-final against Waterford.

CORK can thank Joe Deane for turning Saturday night’s All-Ireland hurling qualifier game against Dublin at Páirc Uí Chaoimh.

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).

ALL-IRELAND Colleges hurling champions DLS Waterford supply six players to the county team for tomorrow night’s Munster MHC semi-final against Cork in Walsh Park.

NEWTOWN can thank the O’Connor twins, Ben and Jerry, for their SHC win over Bishopstown at Mallow yesterday.

THE spoils went Sarsfields’ way, thanks to hitting a purple patch in the opening quarter, but Ballinhassig left Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Saturday with their pride intact after an admirable second-half recovery.

DLS Waterford 2-12 Thurles CBS 1-15 (After extra-time)

THE inaugural IRB Junior World Championship, to be held in Wales in June, will be uppermost in the minds of respective Irish and Welsh U20 team coaches Eric Elwood and Patrick Horgan at Dubarry Park, Athlone, tonight (7.30pm).

PRESENTATION Brothers College, Cork put their Avonmore Munster Schools Senior Cup title on the line at Clifford Park, Limerick today (3pm) against an inexperienced Castletroy College side.

CHRISTIAN Brothers College Cork secured their place in the semi-finals of the Avonmore-sponsored Munster Christians had too much power up front and plenty of pace in the back division to see off what was, nevertheless, a spirited Rockwell challenge spearheaded by the impressive number eight Stephen Maguire and loose head prop Cian O’Donnell.