How fine are the margins, exactly?

When Liam Cahill took over as Waterford manager last autumn, his first act was to take out his axe and get chopping. A host of names were dropped but when that list included team-captain Noel Connors, and another high-profile casualty, Maurice Shanahan, much of the discussion focussed on Cahill’s reasoning behind those decisions.

John Fogarty and Eoghan Cormican preview the weekend's GAA fixtures.

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.

Former Cork coach and midfielder Justin McCarthy reckons the Leesiders don’t play as fast as All-Ireland champions Tipperary and suffer as a result.

“We have written to all units reminding them to exercise caution at this time around party political activities and requests of this nature,” confirmed a GAA spokesperson.

Stephen Bennett wants Waterford to make Walsh Park a fortress this year.

I TOOK my place on the bank behind the near goal in Walsh Park yesterday and, a couple of minutes into the match, I was congratulating myself on the decision.

The recovery powers of Waterford’s youth were too much for a typically vapid League performance by Cork in Walsh Park today.

Cork couldn’t have dreamed of a better start, breaching Stephen O’Keeffe’s goal-line twice in the opening three minutes.

Cork Institute of Technology (CIT) is set to get a €9.2 million grant from the Department of Sport as part of the first set of allocations under a new sports infrastructure fund.

There was also good news for Meath's Páirc Tailteann and Kildare’s St Conleth’s Park.

Waterford chairman Seán Michael O’Regan believes the increasing number of players stepping away from senior inter-county teams in their 20s is a sign of the times.

Waterford taliswoman for the past two decades Michelle Ryan has called time on her inter-county career.

TG4 has announced details of 52 GAA games they will cover in early 2020, including 30 Allianz League matches.

Outgoing Waterford County Board chairman Paddy Joe Ryan believes that a spending limit on inter-county teams should be considered by the GAA.

Liam Cahill believes it’s an advantage to him to be based outside Waterford as it’ll enable them to “assess what’s going on” without having to discuss team matters with people on a daily basis within the county.

Waterford county board hopes to take the next steps in the redevelopment of Walsh Park later this month according to secretary Pat Flynn.

The June 6 game in the LIT Gaelic Grounds is likely to be televised live by Sky Sports, with the vast majority of the other nine games again set to be shown by RTÉ.

Both sides struggled to find their range early on, with Ballygunner’s Pauric Mahony (free) the only scorer in the opening ten minutes.

Sunday afternoon Ballygunner host Patrickswell in the Munster Club SHC semi-final in Walsh Park (throw-in 1.30pm).

Kerry GAA officials decided not to allow TV coverage of their County SFC final over concerns about the impact on the attendance.

There was a time for Ballygunner when playing Clare opposition in Munster competition was always one match too far, but those days of serial defeat to the best of the Banner have been well and truly ended these past three years.

Darragh O’Sullivan didn’t have much joy against Clare opposition during his Ballygunner playing days. He’s hoping for better luck now that he’s traded the jersey for the bainisteoir’s bib.

One of the oldest and smallest clubs in Ireland will compete in the Waterford Senior Hurling Championship in 2020.

Thomas McCarthy pays tribute to his late friend — poet and journalist Seán Dunne

Sixmilebridge joint-captain Seadna Morey says the club are determined to make amends for their recent poor record in the Munster championship.

Ballygunner made it six in a row with this Waterford SHC title, showing all their experience in seeing off a spirited De La Salle side.

John Fogarty For the third year in a row, Kilkenny and Dublin will face off in the first round of the Leinster SHC in 2020 while Wexford yet again don’t start their campaign until Round 2.

Waterford have been refused permission to play their 2020 Munster SHC home games at a Leinster venue, in the event of Walsh Park being unavailable.

Former Tipperary All-Star Liam Cahill was ratified as the new Waterford senior hurling manager on a two-year term, with the option of a third, at last night’s county board meeting in Dungarvan.

New Camogie Association chief executive Sinéad McNulty has revealed the organisation is targeting a significant increase in attendances at the Liberty Insurance All-Ireland finals on September 8.

It wasn’t pretty but Tipperary manager Niamh Lillis was pleased that her charges hit the last five points to register a hard-fought 0-15 to 0-11 win over Meath in the Liberty Insurance All-Ireland Senior Camogie Championship at Donaghmore-Ashbourne on Saturday.

Galway have one foot in the knockout stages of the Liberty Insurance All-Ireland senior camogie championship after yesterday’s 2-12 to 1-10 triumph over Limerick at Kenny Park.

Cork, Waterford and Tipperary all secured their progression to the knockout stages of the Liberty Insurance All-Ireland Senior Camogie Championship this afternoon when they secured home wins at the expense of Meath, Clare and Dublin respectively.

Limerick and Wexford’s provincial successes are expected to provide windfalls for the GAA later this month.

Form is clearly temporary in hurling. If the bookmakers are to believed, the 100% 2019 Munster SHC record Tipperary bring to Limerick on Sunday is of no consequence and will be broken.

Some years ago the accompanying headline was the title of an essay that appeared on the Leaving Certificate English paper.

Super sub JJ Hutchinson was the game-changer for Ballygunner in the final quarter as the champions blitzed Dungarvan with the last nine points of yesterday’s Round 2 contest at a wet, wet, wet Walsh Park (1-18 to 0-14).

There was a famous photograph taken in 2000 at a Leinster U21 final, shortly after Offaly had dethroned Cork to reach the All-Ireland senior final, where they were due to square up to Kilkenny again.

‘Our main men must step up, because Waterford hurling is in crisis’

Plans to increase Walsh Park’s capacity to 16,000 remain on course despite neither of Waterford’s two home games in the Munster senior hurling championship this summer selling out.

Hurling again dominated proceedings last weekend. Not for the last time this season the incredible spectacle of the sport was there for all to see.

This week on Dalo’s Hurling Podcast, Derek McGrath and Ger Cunningham talked Waterford’s psyche, Tipp’s flexibility, Limerick’s big calls, and Galway’s need for a performance.