Derek O’Connor consolidated his advantage at the head of the point-to-point riders’ table by partnering a three-timer at yesterday’s well-attended Carbery Hunt point-to-point meeting at Bandon.

The annual Kildorrery point-to-point meeting, run under the auspices of the Duhallow Foxhounds, took place at Rockmills Stud yesterday and the Jimmy Mangan-trained Coole Cody vindicated the promise of his excellent fourth-placed debut effort at Dawstown last season by taking the five-year-old geldings’ maiden.

Johnny King experienced mixed fortunes on Amateurs Day in Cork, completing a his first double on Winter Magic and Operating and being suspended for five days for using his whip with excessive frequency on his first winner.

If The Menu could ever rid himself of the microchip implanted in his neck by Mrs Menu, he’d while away many an afternoon in his beloved L’Atitude 51, (www.latitude51.ie).

Former Tipperary All-Ireland SHC medallist Colm Bonnar has stepped down as manager of Waterford giants Ballygunner – just weeks after he was appointed the club’s new boss.

‘Corky’ Carroll certainly had an afternoon to savour at yesterday’s well-attended second session of the two-day Kinsale point-to-point at Farrangalway for he partnered three winners.

Eugene O’Sullivan’s The Blarney Rose lit up yesterday’s extremely wet Boulta point-to-point fixture by destroying the opposition in the open lightweight.

Ballyhale Shamrocks 0-16 Dicksboro 0-12

O’Donovan Rossa 1-13 Avondhu 1-09

Ballyclough 0-10 Mitchelstown0-7

Despite not scoring for the final 16 minutes of play, Avondhu progressed to the Cork SFC quarter-finals at Ilen Rovers’ expense in Macroom on Saturday night.

A scoring surge in the final 10 minutes enabled Avondhu to pull clear of Beara at rainswept Newcestown on Saturday.

Star performer John Power produced four points during the closing five minutes, and boosted by another from Ger Aylward, 14-man Kilkenny cobbled together a battling victory over Westmeath yesterday.

TO apply some context to this headline result in Fermoy on Saturday, one should underline that this is only the second Cork SFC game Nemo Rangers have lost over the past five years.

CLARE’S Tony Carmody scored a first-half goal, went off injured minutes later but raised the rafters at the end of this final when he lifted the All-Ireland IHC trophy.

HE may have an All-Ireland senior medal in his back pocket and more than a decade of representation at the elite level of the intercounty game behind him, yet Niall Gilligan remains on the hunt for glory.

A TENSE and exciting all North Cork Co IFC relegation final at Glantane yesterday went Killavullen’s way, Ballyclough now going down to junior ranks.

GLANWORTH reached round four of the Cork IFC last night after a good night’s work at Kilavullen’s GAA grounds.

AGHABULLOGUE cruised into round four of the Cork IFC after brushing Ballyclough aside at Donoughmore yesterday.

ALL-IRELAND winners Brian O’Regan and Paul O’Flynn will not be involved in Cork’s panel for the defence of their crown which begins with Sunday’s Munster quarter-final against Clare in Páirc Uí Chaoimh.

PAUL KERRIGAN emerged as the latest injury doubt for Cork ahead of Sunday’s Allianz Football League final against Dublin in Croke Park.

IN recent times, victories for the Cork footballers have tended to revolve around the scoring exploits of their stars in the full-forward line.

TO the wider hurling public Darren McCarthy has carved a reputation as an excellent goalkeeper with Cork underage teams but for his club Ballymartle he will forever be associated with his contributions outfield after the stunning conclusion to yesterday’s All-Ireland club IHC final in Croke Park.

THERE are those who say footballers are in the business of ruining their bodies for the pleasure of strangers but they equally put them to good use off the pitch.

KERRY’s Paul Galvin could be ready for a return to Sigerson Cup action — at the ripe old age of 30!

DOUGLAS dual player Eoin Cadogan faces a busy weekend as both the Cork senior hurlers and footballers continue their pursuit of Allianz National League honours.

NICHOLAS MURPHY returns to the Cork team for Saturday’s NFL game against Tyrone in Omagh.

AND then there were two. Survivors from the Cork forward line that started the 2007 All-Ireland football final are becoming thin on the ground after James Masters’ withdrawal from the squad yesterday meant he became the latest attacker from that day no longer involved in Cork football plans going forward.

THOSE looking for entertainment at sandy Páirc Uí Rinn on Saturday got plenty of it.

DUBLIN make five changes in personnel as well as a couple of positional alterations for their NFL Division 1 clash with Mayo at McHale Park, Castlebar.

RECENT history has taught the Cork footballers to measure the relevance of pre-autumn victories over Kerry in thimble-sized measures, but it would be remiss to ignore the grit and adaptability of Cork’s 13 men in outlasting their old rivals on Saturday night in Páirc Uí Rinn.

OVER two decades, the landscape has shifted irrevocably. During Cork’s football hegemony in gaining consecutive All-Ireland senior titles in 1989 and 1990, their scoretakers in the full-forward line came from the city powers of Nemo Rangers and Bishopstown, and the West Cork strongholds of Castlehaven and O’Donovan Rossa.

FOR the first time since he began his illustrious career 14 years ago, Darragh O Sé has been excluded from the Kerry team to meet Cork in Sunday’s glamour Munster SFC semi-final clash with Cork at Fitzgerald Stadium, Killarney.

NO SURPRISES in the sunshine of Fraher Field yesterday, with Cork running out comfortable winners over Waterford in this Munster SFC clash to set up their expected clash with Kerry in the Munster semi-final.

ARMAGH have suffered a massive blow prior to their crunch Ulster SFC clash with Tyrone as 12 players were quarantined when a stomach bug forced them into a one-week shutdown.

TIPPERARY duo Eoin and Paul Kelly are both ruled out of Sunday’s Allianz NHL final clash with Kilkenny.

MICHAEL SHIELDS continues at full-back, with Ray Carey and Anthony Lynch holding down the corner-back positions as Cork announce the same starting side that defeated Armagh in their final group qualifying game for Sunday’s Allianz NFL Division Two final against Monaghan at Croke Park.

DARRAGH Ó SÉ could return for Kerry against Galway in Sunday’s Allianz NFL clash at Austin Stack Park, Tralee.

THE Allianz Football League Division 2 promotion race has just got interesting. Monaghan’s merited success over Cork ensures it will be a pivotal promotion day in the last round in two weeks time.