Physical activity is essential for children, Olympians Marian and Rob Heffernan tell Cliona Foley. They also believe sport does not always have to have a competitive edge to get positive results

Meath produced an impressive display against Down at Croke Park to secure their second Christy Ring Cup crown in the space of four seasons.

Christy Ring Cup favourites Meath had to overcome a stiff challenge from Derry before securing their place in the competition final on Saturday week, where they’ll face a Down side that had nine points to spare against Roscommon in the other semi-final.

It was two minutes after 10pm when the Roscommon team bus, led by two garda squad cars, departed the scene of a most unexpected raid.

A Fintan Cregg point in the third minute of second-half stoppages scored Roscommon a famous Connacht semi-final win over Mayo, the county’s first championship triumph at the venue since 1986.

Aaron Gillane has rubbished the suggestion that All-Ireland holders Limerick are going too well, too early in 2019, describing the notion as “stupid”.

Like Currid, Regan has previously worked with an All-Ireland-winning Tipperary team.

He may have been too small to see the parade as a child but Olympic medal winner Rob Heffernan was walking tall as he led the St Patrick’s Day parade through his native city.

Ballyhale Shamrocks are AIB All-Ireland club SHC winners for a record seventh time after a power-packed Croke Park display proved far too much for an overwhelmed St Thomas'.

Cavan boss Mickey Graham has lashed out at a series of decisions he claims have gone against his team in the opening rounds of the Allianz Football League.

IT is said they are the most down-to-earth royals, the most accessible, the least stiff-upper-lippy. That’s Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Wherever the Second Grandson inherits, writes Colm O’Regan.

I think I might have reached Peak Nomics. I’m in Stavanger in Norway hosting shows at a festival called KaKanomics which is about economics, writes Colm O’Regan.

The 10,000 emails of “who’s playing today” and the millions of replies may seem, on the face of it, dull, but they are a social history of their own, writes Colm O’Regan

Screentime — a phrase that has become laden with all sorts of panic, writes Colm O’Regan.

Here’s your weekly journey into the mind of Colm O’Regan.

THIS heat! The world is on its head, writes Colm O’Regan.

Staff at the A&E units of hospitals have enough to deal with every day without having to contend with a man who was drinking alcohol at the unit and causing trouble.

Pushy sideline parents and over competitive clubs are putting children off sport.

Mayo 5-19 Limerick 3-7

2017 footballer of the year Andy Moran added two goals as a sub.

Yes you could listen to a match while driving somewhere but there are distractions such as other vehicles coming towards you or a shitehawk with italic number plates ‘up your hole’ in the rearview mirror, writes Colm O’Regan.

“Truly humbling,” say some award-winners on receiving their gong. I call bullshit, writes Colm O’Regan.

Plans for a large-scale mosque in West Dublin have been given the go-ahead by An Bord Pleanála in spite of local opposition.

By my made-up reckoning, 80% of TV now is some sort of competitive living, writes Colm O’Regan

The Government may have to pull its multimillion-euro publicity campaign on domestic violence after victims said it insults them.

Emily Blunt tells Georgia Humphreys about her role in must-see horror film A Quiet Place

Set a baby down and within seconds she’ll be brandishing a previously unseen medieval mace in one hand and a gin-trap in the other, writes Colm O’Regan.

I’ve googled it and I don’t think it exists yet. There are a few fictional series based on it, but not what I’m planning. I’ve threatened to make my millions a few times in this column, but this could be the one where I finally get enough money together for a shed, writes Colm O’Regan. 

REGULAR readers know this column is frequently about nothing at all, writes Colm O’Regan.

It’s a shameless heart-string tugger at times. I don’t care. When the craggy loveable oldish guy started crying while saying goodbye to the five mentors in episode 1, I was snotting like a toddler, writes Colm O’Regan. 

My dating days are long behind me so I don’t get many opportunities to be stood up. Except in one area: Selling second-hand stuff online, writes Colm O’Regan

Inniscarra Dramatic Society was putting on a production of… well no one is clear to this day what it was. They hired a man called Suni to teach some singing and dancing for a variety show, writes Colm O’Regan

The 1987 snow ruined me. Because it raised expectations that there would be similar snow every year. But most snows since then have been, quite frankly, crap, writes Colm O’Regan

Liam Ruiséals: I’m sad it’s going. It was the school books that got me in and then the exam papers. Round about September, the booklets of past Junior Cert and Leaving Cert papers would take over a section in the corner, says Colm O’Regan

Lee Keegan’s criticism of the “very dirty tackle” which left Evan Regan with a broken jaw was “way off the mark”, according to Kerry manager Éamonn Fitzmaurice.

Kerry’s hard edge. What might have been considered an oxymoron in the past has never been anything but fact as long as Darren Hughes has played senior football for Monaghan.

Betting firms will be prohibited from engaging in any form of GAA sponsorship from 2019 onwards if a motion to the 2018 Annual Congress is passed later this month.

My vital signs are showing good numbers, says Colm O’Regan. 

This NHL 1A clash went to the visitors Wexford in front of a crowd of 7,567.

Former Scotland striker Charlie Nicholas has labelled the Scottish Football Association an "embarrassment" over its failed pursuit of Michael O’Neill.

It’s the time of year when a no-longer-young man’s heart turns to writing a column about trying to take up running again, writes Colm O’Regan.

Like all the best Irish antiquarian sites, there’s very little brouhaha about it on the road, writes Colm O’Regan.

Whatever 2018 has in store for Jarlath Regan, it will be difficult to top last year.