President of the Irish Hospital Consultant Association, Dr Donal O'Hanlon, warned that the acute hospital system is "at breaking point" because of a severe shortage of consultants, beds and other facilities.

It will cost €6.6bn to remove private healthcare from public hospitals — but there is no information in an independent review group report on how this bill will be paid.

The Irish Hospital Consultants Association (IHCA) is hitting out at the government over the latest waiting-list figures.

A school principal demoted after having been found to have emotionally abused a pupil by requiring her to kneel on the floor on two occasions has lost her High Court challenge to the disciplinary process.

The number of vacant hospital consultant posts across the public health service is heading towards 500 at a time of HSE recruitment restrictions and when emergency departments are buckling under trolley numbers.

St Jude’s manager Padraic Monaghan pinpointed a powerful second-quarter showing as a crucial factor in his side’s stunning success over St Vincent’s in the Dublin SFC at Parnell Park yesterday.

In the build-up to yesterday, Éamonn Fitzmaurice spoke about the lack of nuance among those commentating on the game of Gaelic football right now.

Gawlay 0-13 - Dublin 0-13: Every other top football team in the country have tested themselves against Dublin under Jim Gavin’s management, but finally Galway had their crack – and at the first try they found a way under their skin.

An insipid Dublin SFC final was decided by the simple fact St Vincent’s weren’t as poor as their opponents.

Enda Varley had his nose broken off the ball in the 2012 semi-final meeting of Mayo and Dublin and also played in the 2013 final. Gone from the county scene, he has since slipped behind enemy lines, playing his club football with St Vincent’s. Kieran Shannon discovers how he’s grown to appreciate his new surroundings and respect teammates like Diarmuid Connolly, but also sees a rivalry between his two homes slipping out of control

Barclays and four former top bankers have appeared in court over side deals struck during emergency fundraising at the height of the financial crisis.

AIB All-Ireland Club SFC semi-final

Sigerson Cup

St Vincent’s 0-12 Ballymun Kickhams 0-11: A 57th minute point from Albert Martin proved decisive as St Vincent’s narrowly defeated Ballymun Kickhams in their absorbing Dublin SFC semi-final at Parnell Park last night.

Many acute hospitals are using antiquated equipment manufacturers no longer stand over, it has emerged.

Westmeath 2-22 Offaly 1-11: Offaly manager Eamonn Kelly shouldered the blame for “one of the low points” of his time in hurling as Westmeath romped to a deserved 14-point Leinster championship win over his side at Cusack Park in Mullingar.

A Friday evening in August is rarely the moment of which childhood rugby dreams are made yet for Mike Sherry the chance to run out in a low-key pre-season friendly against Connacht carried all the emotion of a torrid European night under the floodlights.

Twenty-one months out of rugby was a long, lonely time for Mike Sherry.

On and off the field, Eusebio Guinazu is not looking beyond the next three weeks as he bids to help power Munster to a first trophy in four years.

NEW YORK 0-8 GALWAY 2-18: Damien Comer inspired Galway as they advanced to face Leitrim in the quarter-final of the Connacht SFC after a leisurely victory over New York at Gaelic Park in the Bronx last night.

Kerry manager Eamonn Kelly insisted the Christy Ring Cup was still the county’s number one priority for the summer, despite his side earning a shot at Division 1B hurling.

Galway 0-10 Laois 2-10

Former Munster hooker Damien Varley revealed he broke down in tears in a taxi after learning he would have to retire from rugby because of a debilitating foot injury.

Donncha O’Callaghan would love it if Peter Stringer rejoined Munster.

Damien Varley, one of the most committed and popular Munster players over the past eight years, has announced his retirement. 

"It is with great sadness that I have to announce my premature retirement.”

Allianz FL Division 1 Round 2: Westmeath 2-12 Galway 2-13: It’s an awful pity that Paddy Sweeney didn’t live to see this day. A stalwart of the Killannin club which also produced Kevin Walsh, Sweeney also served as an officer of Galway football board but was killed in a work accident over a year ago.

Galway 2-13 Meath 1-12: Allianz Footbal League Division 2: Galway’s exile from the top flight in the league is now in its fourth year but with four of their games at home this season and derby away ties to Roscommon and Westmeath also on the agenda, there is growing optimism that they are in a good position for promotion.

Sligo IT 0-8 NUIG 0-8

FBD Connacht League: Roscommon 0-14 IT Sligo 0-5

A year is a long time in rugby, but not long enough for Duncan Casey to stop appreciating the opportunity he is being given to cement a place in Munster’s front row.

The Champions Cup is well and truly up and running.

Munster are keeping their fingers crossed that a hooker crisis can be warded off over the next week and Duncan Casey and Damien Varley are available for the European Champions Cup clash away to Sale on Saturday week.

A "significant" number of hospital consultants are set to sue the State over millions of euro in unpaid salary rises they claim are owed to them since 2008.

Peter O'Mahony and Damien Varley are both named as replacements in the Munster squad meeting Leinster in Dublin on Saturday.

Munster will welcome back Ian Keatley, Simon Zebo and Andrew Conway for their Guinness Pro12 opener at home to Edinburgh on Friday, but hooker Damien Varley’s next appearance in the red jersey remains uncertain.

Galway 4-17 Tipperary 4-12

Westmeath 3-19 Carlow 0-10

Another Munster campaign reaches its conclusion without silverware or even a final appearance to show for all the sweat, toil and trouble, leaving incoming head coach Anthony Foley and his squad with plenty to ponder over the summer months.