Few counties have as many players involved in the Fitzgibbon Cup as Cork and the tight turnaround this week is a fair test of those involved and a clear indication of what exactly fixture congestion means to those most affected by it, writes Michael Moynihan.

Our writers pick out eight talking points from the opening weekend of Allianz League action.

Brian Corcoran’s new role with the Cork senior hurlers is in a mentoring capacity, and does not extend to on-field activity.

Mistakes by goalkeepers which lead to scores are always magnified, particularly those that involve short puckouts. It was a defensive mistake by Glen Rovers that handed the East Cork side the golden opportunity to goal for the second time just before the break.

Before you make your position known you had better state your terms.

A Séamus Harnedy goal in first-half injury-time proved to be the vital score as Imokilly created history in Páirc Uí Rinn this afternoon as they completed the three-in-a-row in the Cork SHC.

Glen Rovers face Imokilly in tomorrow’s Cork senior hurling final, the kind of bald covering statement that covers a century-plus of history.

John Meyler’s departure after two years as Cork senior hurling manager means the county is once again on the look-out for leadership.

When Brian Corcoran spoke last week about the lack of All-Ireland underage medals in Cork, and the knock-on effect on senior teams, the words rang in stereo in the ears of Robert Downey.

“We’ve got James McCarthy back on the pitch, Eoin Murchan, Jonny Cooper, Diarmuid Connolly’s back training with us, Rob McDaid is back, Peadar Byrne Ó Cofaigh is with the U20s, Darren Gavin’s coming back this week as well so there’s a whole host of players who are returning to play and then there is the squad themselves.”

Cork senior hurling manager John Meyler says any of the county U20s who “put up their hands” playing at that level can come into consideration for the senior side this season.

Cork have shaken things up for their first ever senior hurling championship fixture against Westmeath, with five changes from the side that lost to Clare in their final round-robin game in Munster.

Summer certainly hasn’t started temperature-wise but from a refereeing perspective it did yesterday. The games in Cavan and Kilkenny swung the Championship into life.

Two games, two wins. For 4-58, Against 1-42. Average winning margin 12.5 points.

Lehane limped off injured against Limerick last Sunday week while Spillane’s back issue has kept him out of action in Cork’s first two championship games.

Following an opening week defeat by Tipperary, Cork turned around their Munster SHC campaign with an impressive seven-point win over All-Ireland champions Limerick.

Summer hurling’s opening weekend threw up killer lines.

Donal O’Grady assesses how Cork can counter the All-Ireland champions’ gameplan

John Meyler has reacted to Cork’s defeat to Tipperary by making four changes for tomorrow’s Munster SHC Round 2 in the LIT Gaelic Grounds.

The Kilmacud Crokes-Craobh Chiaráin Dublin league game threw in yesterday morning at 10.30am.

Mallow in early January will never be mistaken for Broadway, and the chill in the north Cork evening made it a testing venture for the 2,021 spectators in attendance for Cork and Waterford in last night’s Co-Op Superstores Munster SHL clash.

It started as a puck-around and ended with managers tangling on the sideline, the kind of pre-season game that picks up momentum before a breathless finish.

Cork manager Denis Ring said his initial feeling was that the decision to rule out Robert Downey’s 41st-minute goal for an apparent square ball offence was the wrong call.

Somewhat ironic isn’t it that the county’s most impressive minor final victory of recent times will pass largely under the radar because of what transpired in the main event.

Two second-half goals from Jack Canning delivered Galway an 11th All-Ireland minor title.

Sean O’Leary Hayes didn’t watch last year’s All-Ireland minor hurling final. He couldn’t.

A first Electric Ireland Munster minor hurling title for Cork since 2008, then, but a post-match warning from manager Denis Ring.

Cork 1-24, Waterford 0-8: Cork eased into the semi-finals of the Munster MHC with this 19-point rout of Waterford The Déise, who entered the contest off the back of a heavy defeat to Clare, were aided by a slight breeze in the opening period and yet found themselves seven in arrears at the break, 0-11 to 0-4. 

CBC, Cork 3-18 St Francis College, Rochestown 3-12: It says much about the second-half turnaround by CBC in this Dr Harty Cup last-16 clash at Church Road yesterday that the six-point winning margin flattered their opponents more than themselves.

Russell Crowe and Ryan Gosling team up for a crazy jaunt through Los Angeles in the 1970s, and its going to be hilarious

St Colman’s College, Fermoy 2-12 CBC Cork 0-11: St Colman’s College overcame the brave challenge of CBC in the Dr Harty Cup in Mallow yesterday to book their spot in the semi-final against Ardscoil Rís.

From movies to music, food to fashion, our critics reveal their picks for the year ahead.

Josh Beausang’s late point earned Midleton CBS a draw against Blackwater CS at Waterford IT yesterday, but the east Cork school’s hopes of qualification to the Harty Cup quarter-finals rest on today’s game between Ardscoil Rís and Waterford’s De La Salle.

The remaining six Corn Uí Mhuirí quarter-final spots will be decided this afternoon, with the final round of group games across the province.

Na Piarsaigh 4-16 Glen Rovers 2-15: A final quarter surge, inspired by captain Craig Hanafin, saw Na Piarsaigh claim the Cork Premier 1 U16 HC title on Saturday in Páirc Uí Rinn.

Matthew Broderick doesn't mind Sarah Jessica Parker and her ex-boyfriend Robert Downey Jr. reconnecting.

From food to fashion, movies to music, our critics pick their hot 100 for autumn.

Joss Whedon says Ultron is "everything a robot never is".

Robert Pattinson has lost his place as the world’s sexiest man, according to a magazine poll.

It’s likely your first impression will be that you’ve stumbled into 'Planes, Trains and Automobiles ll' but this road-trip-from-hell comedy from the director who brought us the excellent 'The Hangover' is even better, and certainly more interesting in that it has stronger characters and a more mature script.

SARSFIELDS winning the county SHC title in 2008 has certainly had a knock on effect at local schools level where the boys of Riverstown produced a fine display to win the Allianz Sciath na Scol DH1 final at Páirc Ui Rinn yesterday.

Robert Downey, Jnr is hoping pal and 'Iron Man' co-star Gwyneth Paltrow's husband, Chris Martin, will boost the soundtrack of his new 'Sherlock Holmes' film - because the rocker's a huge fan of the super sleuth.