Tallow 1-14 Ballyduff Upper 0-16: Fraher Field was subdued yesterday afternoon for the Waterford SHC semi-final between Tallow and Ballyduff Upper, which Tallow eventually won by the narrowest of margins.

It’s been a tough week for those involved in Waterford GAA. A few days ago well-known referee and former Ballygunner star Paul Foley passed away unexpectedly, and the sadness is still palpable.

Cork 2-21 Clare 0-18: Waterford Crystal SHC semi-final: The Cork management vowed at the outset of 2015 to cast the net far and wide.

Dean Ryan Cup final

The Limerick intermediate team is still without a manager, but, in a compromise that was backed unanimously at a meeting of the county board in Claughaun GAA club last night, the dispute that had threatened to throw the county back into the chaos it had witnessed only three years ago was finally resolved.

Limerick GAA vice-chairman Pat Heffernan says he feels like he has been “kicked in the pants” after fellow officers decided not to back his recommendation that Tom Ryan be installed as the county’s new intermediate hurling team manager.

Reigning champions Oulart-The Ballagh maintained their momentum towards a fourth consecutive title when they easily accounted for a disappointing Cloughbawn in the Pettitt’s Wexford SHC at St Patrick’s Park, Enniscorthy.

A lawyer for AIB yesterday described as “outrageous” a rate of €450 per hour charged by a solicitor in a case relating to a Nama debtor.

A bewildered Sal Slattery stood in the rain by his wife’s desecrated grave yesterday and wondered what the world had come to.

Clare’s ambitions to claim a third consecutive Munster minor hurling crown remain intact after they swept past Cork in last night’s play-off tie in Ennis to set up a semi-final date with Limerick on June 29.

A High Court Judge has made orders preventing the proposed auction of a West of Ireland property containing 22 holiday homes after lawyers for Nama claimed the sale would result in a loss for the taxpayer.

CHAMPIONS Oulart-the-Ballagh cruised to a comfortable 2-20 to 1-13 victory over neighbours Buffers Alley in a one-sided Wexford SHCsemi-final at Wexford Park yesterday.

CHAMPIONS Oulart-the-Ballagh crushed last year’s defeated finalists St Martin’s 3-21 to 1-8 in a one-sided Wexford senior hurling championship quarter-final played at Wexford Park on Saturday.

POLICE your pets was the warning issued this week to animal lovers.

AS doubts continue about the future of the €3 billion Limerick regeneration plan, city mayor Cllr Kevin Kiely yesterday called on the Government to reassure residents in run-down estates in the city of their commitment to the project.

Budget supermarket Aldi said today it saw sales rise by a quarter last year as the credit crunch sent well-heeled consumers looking for bargains.

CHRISTMAS has come early for Irish bargain hunters.

ALDI’s commitment to having a store within easy reach of most Irish consumers in the next 10 years could create the next major revolution in shopping.

BOSSES of German discount retailer Aldi aim to have more stores in Ireland than the big supermarkets within 10 years.

WHAT is being hailed as the most radical plan to tackle social deprivation in this country was yesterday unveiled in Limerick by President Mary McAleese.

A team of community co-ordinators is to be appointed in Limerick city to help tackle anti-social behavoiur in some of the city's troubled housing estates.

TENANTS in three council-owned houses which are to be knocked to make way for the redevelopment of Thomond Park in Limerick have been served with notices to quit.

THE RACE to dislodge Ballygunner as Waterford senior hurling champions begins this weekend with four very attractive first round games.

Louth 4-11 Waterford 0-5

PERCEPTION isn't everything, but it's close. There are those, for example, who would look at the current Newtownshandrum team.

A FORMIDABLE challenge, yet far from an insurmountable one - that’s the Ballygunner belief as the Waterford champions prepare for Sunday week’s glamour Munster club hurling final against Newtownshandrum.

Ballygunner 3-13 Clarecastle 2-9

BALLYGUNNER have an injury-free squad to choose from as they wind down their preparations for Sunday’s Munster Club hurling semi-final with Clarecastle at Walsh Park.

A JOB well done by Ballygunner with a feeling of satisfaction pervading the dressing-room.

PLAGUED by injury for several months, Paul Flynn is poised to take his place in Ballygunner’s starting line up for Sunday’s Waterford senior hurling final against De La Salle.

PAUL Fitzgerald hit the jackpot on the Dublin tennis scene for the second time within a couple of months when at the Westwood - Clontarf Arena he added the Danone National Spring Tennis Championship title to his indoor award.

THE casual GAA fan could be forgiven for frowning at a Gaultier team sheet. They take on Cork's Carbery Rangers in the Munster final tomorrow and the Déise side have the likes of A Moloney and S Cullinane in their line-up.

Mount Sion 4-14 Ballygunner 4-7

FOR the fifth time in six years, arch-rivals Mount Sion and Ballygunner meet in the Waterford SHC final at Walsh Park tomorrow.