Carlow 4-17 London 2-13

Waterford were held to a draw by 10-man Athlone Town at the RSC last night in a game marred by some bizzare refereeing by Kildare’s Adriano Reale.

VETERAN Limerick senior hurlers Damien Reale and Donie Ryan will not be involved in new manager John Allen’s plans for next season as they have announced their retirement from the inter-county game.

As anticipated, the two All-Ireland SHC quarter-finals have been fixed for a double header bill at Semple Stadium on Sunday week.

LIMERICK will contest the Munster IHC final on July 6 against either Cork or Clare after beating Waterford in yesterday’s semi-final in Semple Stadium.

THIS year’s Fitzgibbon Cup final will be a battle between two Limerick institutions after LIT edged out UCC in an enthralling semi-final at the Waterford IT Sports Campus in Carriganore yesterday.

Former captain Damien Reale has stepped down from the Limerick senior hurling panel.

FORMER Limerick hurling captain Damien Reale last night confirmed his decision to quit intercounty hurling claiming he had “to stand up for what I felt was right”.

TIPPERARY and Limerick received massive pre-championship boosts last night as cousins Eoin Kelly and Ollie Moran made their first appearances of the 2009 season for their respective counties in a senior hurling challenge.

Brian Geary, Wayne McNamara and Donie Ryan have been added to the Limerick team for Saturday's All-Ireland SHC qualifier against Offaly at the Gaelic Grounds (throw-in 7pm).

AN overreaction to an overreaction, that’s how former Limerick senior hurling captain Damien Reale feels about the six-month suspension handed down yesterday to current Kerry football captain Paul Galvin.

Limerick senior hurling manager Richie Bennis has decided to keep faith in the same 15 players who overcame Waterford in the semi-final for Sunday's All-Ireland final showdown with Kilkenny (Croke Park, throw-in 3.30pm).

Damien Reale will return to captain Limerick in Sunday's All-Ireland SHC quarter-final against Clare (Croke Park, throw-in 2pm).

Former dual star Conor Fitzgerald has returned to the Limerick hurling panel but it is understood that he will play no part in Sunday's All-Ireland SHC quarter-final against Clare.

IRELAND has two athletes at the top of the European rankings after an exciting weekend that saw Paul Hession (Athenry) run the fastest 200m by a European this year at the Woodies DIY national track and field championships at Morton Stadium and Alistair Cragg post the fastest 5,000m by a European at a meet in Brasschaat, Belgium.

Limerick corner back and captain Damien Reale has been ruled out of contention for Sunday's Munster SHC final against Waterford (Semple Stadium, throw-in 4pm).

IF YOU ever wondered how fast you could run a mile you can find out and, in the process, help a very worthy charity by participating in the SPAR Mile Challenge in your area over the coming weekend.

Limerick manager Richie Bennis has revealed that his team captain Damien Reale lost consciousness for five minutes during Sunday's Munster SHC semi-final replay win against Tipperary.

Limerick 1-19 Tipperary 1-19

Limerick manager Richie Bennis has opted to make five changes to his side for Sunday's battle of the bottom sides in NHL Division 1B.

Having played there during last month's Waterford Crystal Cup, Stephen Lucey will continue to man the full-back role for Limerick's hurlers as they get their National League campaign up and running against Tipperary on Sunday (Nenagh, throw-in 2.30pm).

YOUR report on the captaincy of the Limerick senior hurling team (Irish Examiner, January 25) was read with some dismay in Bruree.

JOANNE CUDDIHY probably won’t win a medal at the European championships in Gothenburg — a cruel draw may have decided that last night when she drew Lane 1 for tonight’s final — but she won a special place in the hearts of Irish athletics fans with a courageous performance in the semi-finals of the women’s 400m.

Joanne Cuddihy produced a lifetime best to guarantee herself a place in tomorrow night’s 400 metres final at the European Championships in Gothenburg.

Liam Reale and Joanne Cuddihy have another chance to shine today at the European Athletics Championships in Gothenburg.

LIAM REALE, in his first appearance at a major championship, qualified for the final of the men’s 1,500m with a never-say-die performance at the European Championships in Gothenburg last night, finishing eighth in 3:41.97 in a heat that produced all four fastest losers.

LIAM REALE threw something of a cloud over Alistair Cragg’s European championship ambitions when he outsmarted the European indoor 3,000m champion and then held him off comfortably in the finishing straight to land the 1,500m title at the Woodies DIY national track and field championships at Morton Stadium yesterday.

Dubliner David Gillick won his first 400 metres outdoor title at the Woodie's DIY National Track and Field Championships today.

LABAN ROTICH failed by a fraction in his bid to become the first athlete to break four minutes for the mile in Kerry at last night’s Lee Strand international meeting on Castleisland’s resplendent track when he outsprinted fellow Kenyan, Paul Korir, to win in 4:00.63.

LIMERICK man Liam Reale added his name to the growing list of qualifiers for the European championships when he finished second in the elite men’s 1,500m race at last weekend’s Boston High Performance meeting.

PEOPLE can talk all they like about Ring, Mackey, Doyle, about Tull Considine and Philly Grimes, all the great ghosts of hurling past, but be in no doubt about this; yesterday in Semple Stadium we witnessed one of the greatest ever individual displays in the long history of the Munster championship.

Tipperary 0-19 Limerick 1-12

Limerick 5-18 Laois 2-12

Limerick 3-21 Antrim 2-12

Limerick 3-21 Antrim 2-12

JER O’DONOGHUE made a sensational start to the new year by setting a new all-comers record when retaining the 60m title in a sizzling 6.79 secs at the Munster AAI indoor championships in Nenagh yesterday.