Aaron Gillane was the hero as Mary Immaculate College booked their place in this year’s Fitzgibbon Cup final when they held off the NUIG challenge at Cusack Park in Ennis..

Cork’s nine-year wait for a Munster MHC final appearance is over as Denis Ring’s young troops produced a hugely impressive performance to down the reigning champions in this evening’s semi-final replay.

The incentives for the Cork minor hurlers are many: To be the team that ends the county’s nine-year wait for a Munster final appearance at this level, to end the reign of the 2016 All-Ireland champions, to exact revenge for defeat by Tipperary at this hurdle last year, and to ensure there are two Cork teams at Semple Stadium on July 9.

Our Lady’s, Templemore (Tipperary) 0-24 Kilkenny CBS 2-15: Our Lady’s Templemore manager Tom Byrnes is relishing a crack at competition kingpins St Kieran’s in the Croke Cup final on Saturday week.

Our Lady’s Templemore 3-14 Thurles CBS 1-10: Our Lady’s Templemore haven’t tasted Harty Cup glory since winning the competition for the one and only time in the school’s history back in 1978.

LAST year’s runners up Our Lady’s Templemore eased into the last four of the Harty Cup with a ten-point victory over local rivals Thurles CBS in front of a huge crowd at The Ragg this afternoon.

Dean Ryan Cup final

Louth put up a spirited display to beat Longford in last night’s Leinster U21FC quarter-final at Haggardstown.

KILDARE’S Ciaran Kelly played the captain’s role to perfection with two goals as the Lilywhites lifted their first Leinster Junior title since 2004 at St Conleth’s Park last night.

KILKENNY senior panellists Richie Doyle and Kieran Joyce have both been named in the starting 15 for the county’s intermediate team that do battle with Wexford in the Leinster IHC final in Nowlan Park tonight at 7.30pm.

IN their green-and-gold jerseys the Cork champions looked like Newtownshandrum, moved like Newtownshandrum and played like Newtownshandrum.

LAST season’s British and Irish Cup finalists Munster made a bright start to the new season when they proved too good for Leinster in yesterday’s A Interprovincial at Donnybrook.

MUNSTER A coach Anthony Foley expects the sternest test of the season in tomorrow’s clash with Leinster A at Donnybrook (2.30pm).

CARDIFF BLUES are set to pay as much as €100,000 compensation to Ulster after Xavier Rush completed his transfer U-turn. The former All Black signed a two-year contract with the Irish province back in February but has now opted to stay at Cardiff.

LEINSTER’S Heineken Cup hopes received a major boost yesterday with the news that both Brian O’Driscoll and Eoin Reddan will return for the province in tomorrow’s Magners league game away to Connacht.

MUNSTER have the ideal opportunity to atone for their disappointing performance against the Newport Gwent Dragons when they face the Llanelli Scarlets in a postponed Magners League game at Musgrave Park on Thursday, (7.35pm).

LEINSTER will have plenty of experience to help guide them through an expected tough Magners League experience against Cardiff Blues at Cardiff City Stadium on Sunday (4pm).

LEINSTER have included internationals Kevin McLaughlin, Sean O’Brien, Shane Jennings, Eoin Reddan and Jonathan Sexton in their squad for Saturday’s Magners League clash with Scarlets at the RDS (6.30pm).

LEINSTER have included three internationals in the ‘A’ side to face the Exeter Chiefs in today’s British & Irish Cup clash in Sandy Park (3pm).

IRELAND internationals Girvan Dempsey, Trevor Hogan, Bernard Jackman, Malcolm O’Kelly and Mike Ross have been named in the extended Leinster squad for Saturday’s British & Irish Cup clash against Exeter at Sandy Park on Saturday (3pm).

LET’S dispense with the basic arithmetic first.

Jonathan Sexton and Shane Jennings return to the Leinster squad ahead of the Friday’s Magner’s League tie at home to Glasgow.

THE Leinster team to face Connacht in today’s Magners League derby at the Sportsground (4pm) has been named and Ireland trio Girvan Dempsey, Trevor Hogan and Mike Ross come into the team for the trip to Galway in a side that includes nine Ireland internationals in the starting line-up.

LEINSTER consultant coach Alan Gaffney says that despite defeating Ulster, his squad are looking for a marked improvement against Connacht in their Magners League match at the Sportsground this weekend (Saturday, 4pm).

LEINSTER’S injured out-half, Jonathan Sexton, may return to full fitness in time for the province’s Magners League trip to Connacht on Saturday week.

BARELY a week has passed in the last six months when the unholy alliance between sports and cheating hasn’t raised its ugly head and one of this year’s most controversial incidents was on the menu again yesterday.

MICHAEL CHEIKA has declared his confidence in back-up out-half Shaun Berne despite admitting he had attempted to recruit fellow Australian Matt Giteau on a short-term contract last week.

Prop Stan Wright returns to an extended Leinster squad ahead of the Heineken Cup encounter with The Scarlets at Parc Y Scarlets on Saturday.

LEINSTER coach Michael Cheika has ordered Isa Nacewa to wrap himself up in cotton wool to ensure his availability for Heineken Cup action against Llanelli Scarlets on Saturday week.

WORLD CUP winning prop forward CJ van der Linde appears to have put his injury woes behind him and is named in Leinster’s squad for Saturday’s Magners League derby clash with Ulster at Ravenhill (6pm).

GET ready to rumble. The Heineken Cup reopens for business this weekend and the tie of the round may well have come and gone by Friday evening when Leinster welcome London Irish to the RDS.

MICHAEL CHEIKA has tasted victory as often as he has defeat against Munster but the Australian now wants his side to establish clear bragging rights in one of world rugby’s most passionate rivalries.

LEINSTER’S Lions, Luke Fitzgerald, Jamie Heaslip and Rob Kearney are included in Michael Cheika’s squad for Saturday’s Magners League clash with top-of-the-table Edinburgh in Murrayfield (6.30pm).

AS Leinster bring back some heavy hitters for Friday’s Magners League clash with the Ospreys at the Liberty Stadium, it’s fair to assume defence coach Kurt McQuilkin has put the players through the wringer this week.

MUNSTER are hopeful Paul Warwick will be available to take his place at out-half when they begin their defence of the Magners League against Glasgow at Firhill on Friday night, (8pm Setanta Sport).