For the last 12 months there has been a welcome change in the narrative around Laois hurling.

The first time I got to touch the Sam Maguire was in October 1990 when he and Liam MacCarthy came to visit Blackrock Hurling Club.

Tom Cashman (Former Cork captain and manager, selector under Jimmy Barry-Murphy at minor and senior level)

In 1999, captained by Mark Landers, a young Cork team took the hurling world by storm, beating Kilkenny to ensure one of the most unlikely All-Ireland title wins, even in their own long history.

MUNSTER SHC FINAL:

Residents on an east Cork housing estate are disputing the findings of a county council report which claims two local water retention ponds are not a danger to children.

A town council is set to defy a Government request to overturn a rezoning decision.

Despite winning 32 Cork senior hurling titles, Blackrock have only won four county U21 championships.

CORK’S new senior hurling manager Jimmy Barry Murphy says his top priority is to get “a strong backroom team” in place ahead of next season.

LAOIS hurlers got the short straw when they were paired with Cork in the opening game in the All-Ireland qualifier series on Saturday week, with team manager Brendan Fennelly admitting that “the only consolation” was a home game in Portlaoise.

Detectives were trying today to piece together the events leading up to the violent death of a middle-aged woman.

A rare Féile double proves something is stirring in Blackrock writes John Riordan.

They’re tied on 30 All-Ireland titles each, but there’s more at stake at Croke Park tomorrow for Cork and Kilkenny than statistics. Stars of the 70’s, Cork’s Brian Murphy and Kilkenny’s Phil ‘Fan’ Larkin discuss battles past and tomorrow’s semi-final with Diarmuid O’Flynn.

JOHNNY Clifford’s legacy to Cork hurling may very well be divided between his starring role in the 1954 All-Ireland final victory over Wexford and his inspired management of the team which surprised Galway in the final of 1986.

If Cork complete the fabled three-in-a-row on Sunday, they will have achieved it with only 17 starters this season. But, as Diarmuid O’Flynn discovered, when you have exceptional players, they can take you a long way.

IT is always an unenviable and invidious exercise to compare teams and players of different eras.

GLEN ROVERS, Blackrock and Sarsfields will have new managers at the helm this season.

FORMER Limerick manager David Keane is to take over as coach to the Blackrock hurlers in Cork - succeeding Tom Cashman, with whom he won an All-Ireland minor medal in 1974.

AN inevitable consequence of the recent strides made in Limerick football has been a lowering of the profile of the county hurlers when there would have been strong hopes of a breakthrough after significant success at U21 level.

WITH the management of their hurling teams in turmoil, a course in crisis management would appear to be a priority for the County Boards of Limerick, Clare and Tipperary.

NEW Cork manager Donal O’Grady has named Kilworth’s star Fred Sheedy as the final member of the county senior hurling selection committee.

Former Cork hurling manager Tom Cashman has expressed his disappointment at Bertie Og Murphy's departure.

BERTIE ÓG MURPHY has resigned as coach of the Cork senior hurlers after one season in the position.

The Cork hurling team manager has said his team can recover from the loss of dual star Sean Og O'hAilpin.

Cork spokesman Pat Horgan has confirmed the injury sustained by half-back Sean Og O'hAilpin is not too serious.