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.

Mary Immaculate are into the semi finals of the Fitzgibbon Cup after beating UL 2-21 to 1-21 after extra time.

Second half goals from Shane Ryan and Gary Cooney were enough for a the Limerick side that were down by two points at half time.

Mary Immaculate booked their place in the Fitzgibbon Cup quarter-final following a 4-24 to 1-19 win over Limerick Institute of Technology at the Mary I GAA Grounds.

Youth and experience proved to be a winning combination as they gradually pulled away to see off their neighbours Kerry

Cork hurler Tim O’Mahony says the appointment of a new management team has made it easier to park what was a disappointing 2019 season.

Darragh Fitzgibbon has acknowledged that while there’s no question about the talent of the Cork hurlers, their “work-rate and attitude” has been a problem at key times.

Champions of 2015 and 2016, Glen Rovers moved a step closer to regaining the Cork senior hurling championship title following their single point win over Newtownshandrum at Páirc Uí Rinn tonight.

Newtownshandrum produced the shock of the Cork SHC at Mourneabbey on Saturday as last season’s semi-finalists and 2017 finalists Blackrock crashed out.

John Meyler wouldn’t be drawn on his future as Cork manager but he is convinced the future is bright for the county’s senior hurlers.

And so, 14 years becomes 15, one short of Cork’s longest spell without the Liam MacCarthy Cup.

Just before half-time, I glanced down from the RTÉ box and observed Brian Cody spitting into his hands and rubbing them together.

Shane Kingston, a youngster that performed in the second half like a man hellbent on reclaiming a starting position in the team struck three wonderfully-executed points upon his introduction.

The throb and womp from the Marquee provided the mood music, literally, on Saturday night to the end of an odd week in the hurling championship.

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.

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.

Castlelyons’ Niall O’Leary is the new face in the named Cork team to take on Tipperary in Sunday’s Munster SHC Round 1 clash as John Meyler goes with 13 of the team that were defeated by Limerick in last year’s All-Ireland semi-final.

Cork senior hurling manager John Meyler is looking forward to his side’s Munster championship opener in Pairc Ui Chaoimh — and hoping the post-match conversation won’t be about the playing surface.

An injury-time point from Pa Cronin secured victory for Bishopstown in this hugely entertaining Cork SHC first-round clash.

We are a week into Munster Championship Lent. The 40 days and 40 nights before the start of the Munster SHC on May 12 commenced last Tuesday.

Cork hurling great Diarmuid O’Sullivan believes his father Jerry has earned the right to run for the GAA Presidency after decades of rising up through the ranks.

For those spilling out of Páirc Uí Rinn as the rain closed in on Saturday evening, one question dominated conversations.

Both managements referred to the playing surface after yesterday’s game in Pairc Ui Chaoimh, with Cork selector Donal O’Mahony not mincing his words.

When the going gets tough, the tough get going, but what happens when the going is as soft as in Páirc Uí Chaoimh?

Any time I’m on the road on a Saturday evening, I always tune into Céilí House, one of RTÉ Radio’s most popular programmes of traditional Irish music and song, writes Anthony Daly.

Every year, the confirmed Fitzgibbon Cup panels read more and more like a who’s who of the inter-county game. Hurling is as much a student’s game these days as a young man’s one. So among our ones to watch in this year’s competition (which begins Sunday) there will be familiar names but to a man, they have points to prove.

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.

While every charity relies heavily on the public’s generous donations to fund its services, the Irish Guide Dogs also needs an army of volunteers every year to help with the breeding and raising of its puppies. Susan O’Shea met some of those involved.

It remains to be seen if he picks up an All-Star early next month, yet the nomination alone is an endorsement of the second coming of Daniel Kearney.

In a parallel universe yesterday’s All-Ireland U21 hurling final topped off an unforgettable season with a dazzling flourish, with Tipperary and Cork swapping sixty-odd scores on a baking summer’s day, maybe, as happened a couple of times in this year’s senior championship.

Denis Ring felt Cork had the chances to put the result beyond Tipperary’s reach before Conor Stakelum popped up in the 64th minute to bundle home the game-winning goal.

Just when you thought this hurling summer could spoil us no more, the youngsters from Tipperary and Cork go and produce a most incredible finish to the last ever All-Ireland U21 final.

Having scored four points in a row, Tipp were given a great opportunity to forge further clear as Robert Byrne’s clearance broke for Mark Kehoe, who did well to claim possession despite being outnumbered by Cork defenders.

When Cork finally hit a rhythm and a groove in the second quarter yesterday, everybody around me was probably thinking the same as the entire hurling community. ‘Yeah, Cork have finally got it together now. They’ve weathered the storm. They’ll drive on. They’ll win this handy.’ And the Cork players certainly seemed to think the same.

First off, Tipperary won’t be as deficient as they were in Páirc Uí Chaoimh. Similarly, Cork’s collective output won’t be at the same untouchable level that it was at on July 4. What you’ll find materialising will be somewhere in the middle.

They are, of course, still hurting from the defeat to Limerick, but Denis Ring has been urging the senior panelists in his Cork U21 squad to use that pain to their advantage against Wexford in this afternoon’s All-Ireland semi-final against Wexford.

The lack of experience on the Cork bench is “nobody’s fault”, according to Tom Kenny, who believes an All-Ireland U21 title in the coming weeks would set up Cork perfectly for a crack at senior glory in 2019.

Two items stood out from John Meyler’s debrief.

Cork selector Dónal O’Mahony admits he and his colleagues weren’t “overly happy” with their win over Waterford in the last Munster SHC round-robin game, but adds Cork did what they needed to do to get to this week’s Munster final.

Cork hurling management are waiting on the fitness of Mark Ellis and Tim O’Mahony ahead of Sunday week’s Munster final.

Cork lived up to their favourites’ billing to reach the Bord Gáis Energy Munster U21HC final with a win over Waterford at Páirc Uí Chaoimh last night, but they were pushed all the way.

Cork’s side for tonight’s Munster U21HC semi-final against Waterford in Páirc Uí Chaoimh (7.30pm) will feature five players who have played in this year’s provincial senior championship while none of the Déise side saw action.