Pat Donnellan of Clare says he and his colleagues have achieved their “target” of getting into Division 1A but Sunday’s Allianz HL semi-final against Kilkenny is a chance “to see where we’re at come the championship”.

Former Clare captain Brian O’Connell could return to inter-county action after being given a trial period of four to six weeks to secure a spot in Davy Fitzgerald’s squad for their Munster SHC semi-final against Waterford on June 17.

Mayo’s Aidan O’Shea has become embroiled in a row between his county board and club Mayo Dublin, the Mayo GAA Supporters’ Club in the capital.

A BITTERLY cold afternoon in Semple Stadium yesterday, biting wind and heavy showers; a disappointing afternoon also for the players and supporters of gallant Crusheen.

Crusheen (Clare) 0-9 Na Piarsaigh (Limerick) 1-13, Thurles

LAST Sunday was a real test of character for both Na Piarsaigh and Crusheen, especially the final 10 minutes of their Munster Club decider.

IT’S nice to have the guesswork out of the way which is where we all were in the lead-up to the drawn game.

BEFORE I go into the match analysis, I want to comment on the admission price to get into Semple Stadium yesterday — €20.

WHAT a disappointment in Semple Stadium yesterday.

AIB Munster Club SHC final: Na Piarsaigh (Limerick) 1-11 Crusheen (Clare) 0-14

EXPERIENCE, that was the major difference between these sides in Páirc Uí Chaoimh yesterday as Crusheen advanced to the Munster Club SHC final against Limerick champions Na Piarsaigh on Sunday week.

THIS was a day that highlighted the beauty of the club championship.

Na Piarsaigh swept Ballygunner aside with a stunning second half display in today’s AIB Munster Club SHC semi-final at Walsh Park.

THERE was no doubt it was November as Jack Frost appeared for the first race of the CH Marine winter league at RCYC.

IT was a busy week for cruisers at the RCYC, with a good turnout for race four of the O’Leary Insurances League.

Caimin Morey has been brought into the Clare team for tonight's All-Ireland SHC second phase qualifier against Galway in Salthill (throw-in 7pm).

THE first question I have to ask this morning: Where was this Clare performance all year?

Clare will field a team containing three Championship newcomers when they clash with Tipperary in Sunday's Munster SHC semi-final at the Gaelic Grounds (throw-in 4pm).

CLARE captain Pat Vaughan believes Division Two hurling is continuing to stunt the development of Ger O’Loughlin’s team.

CLARE had no problem at Cusack Park, Ennis, yesterday in dismissing the challenge of Down in the Allianz HL Division 2.

Clare 5-22 Down 0-06

ANTRIM:

CLARE boss Ger O’Loughlin has described the loss of last year’s team captain Brian O’Connell who has emigrated to Australia, as a massive blow ahead of their 2011 campaign.

A KILMALLOCK scoring burst - 2-4 in six minutes at the start of the second-half - was the turning point in this AIB Munster club SHC quarter-final yesterday in Cusack Park.

SUMMER sailing is over, but it’s a busy time for south coast sailors with Cove SC hosting the SCORA Championships and the RCYC hosting the ISA All Ireland championships this weekend while the weekend after that, the O’Flynn Exhams Autumn Regatta begin at Crosshaven.

WITH the nights getting shorter, racing started at 6.25pm at RCYC this week. Race officers Stephen and Rebecca O’Shaughnessy with Jonathan Horgan sent the fleets out into a light south-easterly breeze on Course 93 up to No 3, then a dead run back to Cage, before a reach down to No 12 and then a beat back to Corkbeg where the wind shadow of Ft Carlisle created a few problems rounding the mark.

THE HM Yachts Autumn series continued at RCYC. In a brisk north westerly breeze Race Officer Roy Hanan (Plumbat) and his team opted for course 74.

REIGNING Munster and All-Ireland U21 champions Clare stay on course to retain their titles, but only after a hugely entertaining battle against Limerick in this Munster semi-final at the Gaelic Grounds last evening.

HOW in heaven’s name did this end up as a 13-point win for Dublin?

Dublin 2-22 Clare 0-15

AFTER all the excitement of last Sunday’s game between Cork and Tipperary – and fair dues to both teams for that – I’m beginning to wonder if there is any game at all on this weekend in Munster?

Wexford 1-16 Clare 2-9

AN appeal by Kerry star Paul Galvin against an eight-week ban will be heard tonight by the GAA’s Central Competitions Control Committee at Croke Park.

PATRICK CRONIN is set to miss Cork’s entire National Hurling League campaign after suffering a serious knee injury. Cronin will be out of action for a minimum period of three months but it is hoped he may be able to make a return before Cork’s Munster SHC opener against Tipperary in Páirc Ui Chaoimh on May 31.

IT’S SAID a team reflects the personality of its manager; this All-Ireland SHC qualifier offered diametrically opposing arguments on that particular hypothesis. On the one hand, offering proof positive was Galway.

Clare 1-11 Galway 2-18

PUSHING the favourites to the absolute limit after having faced the prospect of a heavy defeat was of even less consolation to gallant Clare in the Gaelic Grounds yesterday when they were drawn against Galway in the qualifiers.

Clare 0-16 Cork 2-13

NOT YOUR common-or-garden NHL clash tomorrow in Ennis, as Cork’s 2008 players return to the fold after the lengthy dispute on Leeside for the league encounter with Clare.

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.

Clare 0-13 Waterford 0-20

CLARE’S strong second-half showing in the Gaelic Grounds yesterday just fell short of redeeming a situation where they conceded three goals in a short period before the break.

The official nominees for the 2008 Opel Gaelic Players Awards for hurling have been announced today by the Gaelic Players Association (GPA), with All-Ireland champions Kilkenny receiving the most nominations.

Clare 4-12 Limerick 1-16, Semple Stadium