Limerick scored a six-point win over Galway to progress to a first All-Ireland U21 hurling final since 2002.

Galway clinched the All-Ireland Intermediate Hurling Championship tonight, piling more misery on Cork in the process.

Joe Canning landed a free from 110 yards to complete a remarkable comeback by All-Ireland champions Portumna and send them into the semi-finals of the Galway SHC.

Portumna (Galway) 0-19 Mount Leinster Rangers (Carlow) 0-11

Portumna (Galway) 1-15 Na Piarsaigh (Limerick) 1-11

Na Piarsaigh (Limerick) 4-14 Sixmilebridge (Clare) 0-8

Portumna 3-12 Loughrea 0-14

The weather has taken a bad turn in Galway with heavy rain and a biting wind adding to the numbness which has been felt, especially in the south of the county, in the past few days.

Conor Cooney got defending All-Ireland champions St Thomas’ Galway SHC campaign back on track with their first win of the group stages over Killimordaly.

The novel southside derby in today’s Dublin SHC final ended in a 2-10 to 0-9 victory for Kilmacud Crokes over Cuala at Parnell Park.

Damien Hayes closes his eyes and summons up an All-Ireland final memory.

Tipperary have named an unchanged starting side for Sunday’s All-Ireland SHC semi-final clash with Kilkenny, but the major talking point is the inclusion of Toomevara’s John O’Brien at full-forward. O’Brien’s brother Thomas passed away earlier this week.

Ulster’s ambition to win a third consecutive Women’s Interprovincial golf title this week at Cork Golf Club has been dealt a blow with the withdrawal of two of their more experienced players.

PAT QUINLAN has suffered many disappointments in his 14 years representing Portumna in various inter-club competitions, so it was all the sweeter for the man from Ballinderry in North Tipperary that he should clinch their first Bulmers Irish Junior Cup triumph at Castlebar yesterday.

GORT, runners-up two years ago and defeated in the semi-finals by Portumna last year, were surprisingly sent crashing out of this year’s Galway SHC title race when they lost to Tynagh Abbey-Duniry.

AT one point yesterday, Damien Hayes rolled up the legs of his jeans to show the swelling in his injured left knee but it is damage of a mental rather than a physical nature which is dominating his thoughts this week.

JOHNNY KELLY bore a wry smile that masked the reality of Portumna’s inner turmoil – their three-in-a-row dream had just died a painful death.

HOW did Portumna change so much from their last three appearances in Croke Park?

WHATEVER about the quality of the match – and it wasn’t the classic generally forecast – let no-one be in any doubt about the quality of this Ballyhale Shamrocks team, nor their right today to call themselves the best hurling club in Ireland.

WHEN IS a five-point margin not a five-point margin?

Ballyhale Shamrocks 1-19 Portumna 0-17

AT this time of year, most clubs in the country, whatever their grade, are in serious training for their upcoming county championships. But any of those worth their salt are also thinking of All-Ireland finals.

PORTUMNA are now just 60 minutes from completing an historic three-peat of All-Ireland club titles after this win in the capital yesterday afternoon.

THE bookmakers have installed them as heavy favourites, their whole side is dripping with talent, yet Portumna will approach tomorrow’s All-Ireland Club SHC semi-final against Dunloy with a degree of wariness.

Tomorrow: All-Ireland Club SHC semi-final: Newtownshandrum (Cork) v Ballyhale Shamrocks (Kilkenny), Thurles, 2.30pm.

WHO would envy Paddy Richmond this Sunday as his club, Dunloy Cuchullains, take on reigning champions Portumna in the All-Ireland club hurling semi-final, in Dublin’s Parnell Park?

MOST people may be counting down the days to Christmas, but Cha Fitzpatrick and Ballyhale Shamrocks are already looking beyond the festive period to the New Year and a shot at redemption.

THE fallout from their controversial meeting in the decider three years ago has finally been consigned to history after Portumna and Loughrea played out a game in Pearse Stadium yesterday that was relatively incident-free – apart from the issuing of one red card.

JIMMY Barry-Murphy’s late father, John Barry, or John B as he was affectionately known in his club St Finbarr’s, had a saying when describing heavy defeats suffered by his club: “They were too numerous for us.”

IN the end, it turned out to be as easy as expected for Portumna. All the pre-game hype about this being one of the best club hurling sides of all time was justified.

I HAVE a very good friend who likes a punt. This year he did the following treble; Kauto Star to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup – we know what happened there; Portumna to win the All-Ireland club hurling title today and Ireland to win the Grand Slam on Saturday.

WHEN is enough, enough? When does greed become a vice? Today, Portumna bid for their third All-Ireland senior club hurling title in four years, Waterford’s De La Salle are trying to win their first.

THEY’RE not going head-to-head, they mightn’t come within an acre of each other on the wide grasslands of Semple Stadium, but of all the performances in the All-Ireland club SHC semi-final in Thurles tomorrow, how Ballyhale’s Henry Shefflin scores for the Kilkenny champions against how Joe Canning scores for Portumna will have a huge bearing on which side progresses to the final.

IS NOTHING in hurling beyond the reach of Cha Fitzpatrick?

GAA PRESIDENT Nickey Brennan remains to be convinced that it would be ‘practical’ to complete the AIB All-Ireland stages of the club championships before Christmas.

Galway hurling star Joe Canning is back on the injury list, after revealing that he played through the pain barrier recently during Galway's All-Ireland U-21 semi-final loss to Kilkenny.

Lucan's Richard O'Donovan recorded a fine opening round of 70 to lead after day one of the Irish Boys Amateur Close Championship at Portumna Golf Club.

Portumna's Jimmy Heverin has been named Philips Sports Manager of the Month for March.

WASN’T THIS as fine a start to any hurling match as you’re ever likely to see?

THE HAPPY chaos of a winning dressing-room. Ollie Canning was leading the team in their victory song. Damien Hayes was dedicating the club title to his mother, in hospital awaiting dialysis (“We’ll be calling in to the hospital in Galway with the cup before her fourth session,” he said).