Champions St Finbarr’s opened their Cork SFC defence with an emphatic victory over Clyda Rovers at Páirc Uí Rinn on Saturday with new manager Paul O’Keeffe, following in the winning footsteps of former boss Ray Keane, well happy with his players for a job well done.

So that’s Friday nearly wrapped up. Here’s some of the stories we published on irishexaminer.com today which we hope will help you make sense of it all this evening.

The role of St Finbarr’s senior football manager is one Paul O’Keeffe had his eye on for quite some time.

UCC 1-12 Garda College 2-7... UCC advanced to a Sigerson Cup quarter-final with NUIG next week thanks to a rescue job led by two Kerry men, Sean O’Shea and Killian Spillane.

Cork Constitution 16 Old Belvedere 10: Cork Constitution had to come from behind to secure victory against a brave Old Belvedere outfit in this tightly contested Ulster Bank League Division 1A tussle at Temple Hill on Saturday.

New research into the Siege of Kinsale will be presented at international conference, writes writes Áilín Quinlan

Heritage campaigners have called for action following the theft of information signs about one of the most important battlefield sites in Irish history.

Cork GAA secretary Frank Murphy has expressed concern about the scheduling of county league fixtures, especially in the latter stages of the season.

Cork SFC (Divisions/Colleges) preliminary round

During Liverpool’s glory days of the 1970s and 80s, much was made of the boot room culture, successive managers immersed in the culture of the club.

With yet another Fitzgibbon Cup claimed, one might imagine that UCC GAA development officer John Grainger is entitled to time off, but his is a job that never ends.

With yet another Fitzgibbon Cup claimed, one might imagine that UCC GAA development officer John Grainger is entitled to time off, but his is a job that never ends.

Only a few months into his tenure as Kerry manager and Eamonn Fitzmaurice is ready to quit. No, not his new job, which he’s thoroughly enjoying, his playing career.

Former GAA President Christy Cooney is set to take over the management of his home club, Youghal, for the coming year.

Kildorrery 1-15 Carrignavar 1-14

Carrignavar 1-15 Erin’s Own 1-10

University College Cork’s memorable 2011 GAA season received further recognition last night as the college handed out its Sport Star awards for the year.

For the first time since 1976, NUI Maynooth will feature in the Sigerson Cup final as the John Divilly’s outfit ended a luckless run of semi-final defeats at Dangan yesterday.

Three of the participants in today’s Sigerson Cup semi-finals have collected titles in the past four years but while silverware has eluded them, NUI Maynooth have still shown remarkable consistency.

Colm Bonnar has seen both sides of the January tug o’ war.

It’s been a year where sportstars at home and abroad have again had plenty to say for themselves. Fintan O’Toole and John Riordan picked out their best offerings

GAVIN O’GRADY must hate the sight of a Dr Crokes jersey.

LOOK at the scoreline and ponder the date.

Dr Crokes (Kerry) 3-14 UCC (Cork) 2-10, Fitzgerald Stadium

IT took over 80 minutes of absorbing action before the contest was settled in Cloughduv yesterday with UCC’s greater energy and ball retention skills proving decisive in this Munster Club SFC quarter-final.

UCC manager Paul O’Keeffe has revealed they never entertained the prospect of persuading Johnny Buckley and Daithí Casey to line out for the third-level outfit in the forthcoming Munster Club SFC.

THE scale of their achievement in adding a county senior football title to a Sigerson Cup victory was deeply appreciated in the UCC dressing-room yesterday afternoon in Páirc Uí Chaoimh.

PAUL O’KEEFFE had no grand ambitions in mind when he surveyed the Cork SFC landscape at the start of this year.

THEIR progress this season has taken many by surprise, including some in their own camp, but UCC have gained confidence throughout the SFC and that was reflected in their controlled display to overcome Avondhu in Saturday night’s semi-final tie in Páirc Uí Rinn.

After ousting competition favourites DCU and the final’s hosts UCD, the Billy Morgan managed team rounded matters off by taking the scalp of the formidable northern outfit.

CORK football legend Billy Morgan has been appointed a manager of UCC’s Sigerson Cup team for the coming season, as the college aims to end a 14-year spell without success in the premier third-level football competition.

The line-up of players for the sixth annual MBNA Kick Fada competition, which takes place next Saturday at the Bray Emmets GAA club, has been announced.