GAA President Liam O’Neill is relishing a national debate on the future of how hurling is governed and played.

Ten years ago Tom Kenny was facing a choice.

Frank Stapleton returned to his native Dublin yesterday and spent a considerable portion of the trip being led on a ramble back down Memory Lane and more, again being asked to look deep into a crystal ball.

I was particularly disappointed to read that Horse Racing Ireland are in exclusive negotiations with SIS and At The Races regarding the awarding of the Irish racing media rights.

Irish author Colm Tóibín has been nominated for a Tony Award, one of the world’s most prestigious prizes for theatre.

A brilliant round of 64, eight under par, sent Dubliner Peter Lawrie shooting to the top of the leaderboard after yesterday’s opening round of the Sicily Open at the stunningly beautiful Verdura course.

BASKETBALL IRELAND has sensationally decided to break with a 25-year-old tradition and belatedly move this year’s Superleague National Cup finals to the first Friday in February to facilitate live television coverage, much to the disapproval of the participating finalists.

SETANTA Ó hAilpín has been handed another opportunity to become an established AFL player after new franchise, Greater Western Sydney selected him in the AFL draft at Homebush yesterday.

SETANTA O hAILPÍN could be on the brink of leaving AFL club Carlton.

LIVE provincial rugby will return to free-to-air TV screens for the first time in four years on Friday evening when RTÉ broadcasts the first of its proposed 35 to 40 Magners League games this season.

THE victim’s of the state fishery board’s single worst tragedy are to be remembered this weekend.

SETANTA O hAilpín has returned from injury to reclaim his position in the Carlton team to play Brisbane in what is a vital AFL game for both sides at the Etihad Stadium today.

THE third series of games in the League of Ireland Premier Division begins this evening with champions Bohemians travelling to Dundalk in the hope of tightening their grip at the top of the table after recent slip-ups by their title rivals (Oriel Park, 8pm, live Setanta Ireland).

SETANTA’S attempt to throw down the gauntlet to BSkyB and muscle in on Premier League football was always a risky move.

SETANTA Sports, the Irish-founded sports broad-caster, could go into administration within the next couple of days.

SETANTA O HAILPÍN will reach a major milestone in his AFL career when playing his 50th league game on Saturday. The Carlton utility player has experienced a number of highs and lows since joining the Blues more than five years ago, having burst onto the GAA scene with Cork when being named an All Star and young hurler of the year in 2003.

AS A crucial week in the history of Cork City begins tonight with the Setanta Cup semi-final at Derry City (Brandywell, 8.05pm, Setanta Ireland), Alan Mathews has been struck a blow with two of his players failing to turn up yesterday for the trip north.

CORK CITY were last night plunged into further crisis as the cash-crippled club were deducted 10 points by the FAI.

FRED COUPLES has teed up his golf ball 23 times in the Masters and has played the weekend at Augusta National each and every year.

THE nervous tension in the Irish camp is tangible ahead of tonight’s second World Cup game against Georgia at Stade Chaban Delmas (8pm, Setanta, TV3, ITV).

STRONG demand has identified the potential to increase the area of organic tillage in this country, Teagasc revealed at a crops open day in Oak Park, Carlow, yesterday.

MUNSTER second-row forwards Chris Wyatt and Donnacha Ryan are auditioning tonight for a starting place in the Heineken Cup quarter-final against Llanelli.

CORK CITY rediscovered their scoring touch and reignited their Setanta Cup challenge with a four-goal salvo against Portadown at Turner’s Cross last evening.

THE thunder and lightning final. The Ring goal final. The ‘Pilltown’ final in ’66. The Cats’ comeback in 1972. The ’78 three-in-a-row decider. DJ Carey’s penalty in 1992. Setanta.

HURLING is Seán Óg Ó hAilpín’s expression of thanks for the gifts God has given him, he reveals in a frank interview.

Mark Lawson, Dominic Fox and Daniel Tudhope all fell foul of the stewards on a busy day at Musselburgh.

CONNACHT make four changes from the side which defeated the Dragons for this afternoon’s Celtic League clash with the Cardiff Blues (Arms Park, 5.30pm, Setanta).

Cork hurling boss Donal O'Grady will hand championship debuts to three players for Sunday's Munster clash against Kerry.

Dr. James McDaid, T.D., Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation announced