Cork’s 2017 season opened in promising fashion last night as an experimental outfit eased past the challenge of Tipperary.

Kildare just about held out at the end of a pedestrian game to set up a Leinster semi-final with Westmeath or Offaly.

Sean Aherne dominated proceedings at yesterday’s well-attended Kilworth & Araglen Harriers point-to-point meeting at Ballyarthur outside Fermoy by saddling two winners.

Meath 1-13 Cavan 1-20: The coalition Government weren’t the only ones facing meltdown over the weekend.

TODAY

Saturday: Clones, 7pm

Tipperary delivered a polished and confident performance to comfortably brush aside the challenge of Waterford in this one-sided Munster SFC quarter-final contest.

Brian Linehan is riding with terrific confidence at present and, fresh from his success aboard Hardtorock at Dawstown on bank holiday Monday, the Fermoy amateur partnered the third double of his career at the County Limerick Hunt point-to-point fixture at Athlacca on Saturday.

Crrigeen Acebo is providing the Lalor family from outside Clonmel with some tremendous sport this season and the seven-year-old recorded her fifth consecutive point-to-point success of the campaign by winning a thrilling mares’ open at yesterday’s Cloyne Harriers meeting at Dromahane.

Armagh 0-18 Meath 0-13

Kerry 3-15 Tyrone 0-9

Ballinamere (Offaly) 2-08 Lisdowney (Kilkenny) 0-13

Tipperary 2-14 Kilkenny 2-11

Kildare 1-19 Louth 0-15

Fermanagh 3-10 Westmeath 1-15

Fermanagh 3-10 Westmeath 1-15

Kildare 0-19 Offaly 1-12

St Patrick’s College, Thurles 4-19 St Mary’s College, Belfast 1-07

This year’s Elite national boxing championships are only at semi-final stage but already we know that five titles will change hands this year.

Wexford 2-18 Kilkenny 0-16

Laois 0-20 Armagh 1-10

Finuge (Kerry) 2-9 Pallasgreen (Limerick) 1-9

Cratloe 1-14 Inagh/Kilnamona 0-14

Tipperary 3-13 Kilkenny 1-17

In the pursuit of excellence, sportspeople make extraordinary sacrifices.

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.

Roscommon 0-8 Tyrone 1-16

Clare senior football manager Micheal McDermott has spoken out against proposals to resume seeding the Munster SFC.

Her Majesty didn’t add a Ruislip leg to her Jubilee celebrations, which was perhaps a good thing for Leitrim as they were given enough of a fright on the pitch.

Crossmaglen (Armagh) 0-15 Garrycastle (Westmeath) 1-12

Allianz Football League Division 1: Cork 4-11 Down 0-10

James Horan is targeting a prolonged run in the league to keep his Mayo charges sharp as they make a belated start to their championship campaign.

Mayo 1-11 Laois 0-8

A WELL-CRAFTED goal midway through the second half from substitute Niall Cronin earned Mullinahone victory at Clonmel yesterday.

IT won’t bother Crusheen today, their title retained, but the question has to be asked: should this Clare SHC final have been allowed go ahead?

CHAMPIONS Crusheen booked a date against Sixmilebridge in the Clare SHC final following an impressive semi-final display at Cusack Park, Ennis yesterday.

Mayo 1-13 Cork 2-6

TODAY

FEARLESS Leitrim provided the first shock of the summer when their stylish and high-octane performance stunned last year’s beaten Connacht finalists Sligo at Markievicz Park yesterday.

Louth 1-15 Westmeath 0-13