Balotelli — MCFC hero, not cult hero

WITHIN hours of the final whistle, Andre Villas-Boas flew off to Majorca with his Chelsea squad for a five-day stint he hopes can transform their flagging fortunes.

CORK’S finest are running out of time to catch Catholic Institute, after the Limerick side showed off their clinical short corner conversion ability with a 5-1 win over UCC at The Mardyke on Saturday.

DROMID PEARSES saw their hopes of becoming the fourth Kerry club in succession to reach the All-Ireland club JFC final dashed yesterday in Portlaoise by Tyrone champions Derrytresk, in a game marred by first half brawl.

MILLTOWN-Castlemaine held off the determined Craigbane challenge and secured a Croke Park date in three weeks’ time.

Two Dáil members have called for an inquiry after a whistleblowing mental health worker claimed she was sacked.

Kerry GAA chiefs last night called for an investigation after former All-Ireland winning football captain Declan O’Sullivan was struck twice by supporters of Tyrone side Derrytresk in the aftermath of yesterday’s All-Ireland club junior football semi-final in Portlaoise.

CLINICAL strikers Dean Rock and Michael McCarthy led Dublin to a five-point victory over Wicklow in a challenge match at Greystones last night.

Retired inter-county referee Dickie Murphy claims the increased physicality of hurlers has made officiating more difficult for referees.

The outcome of this year’s All-Ireland Vocational SAHC still remains in doubt, despite Nenagh Vocational School confirming last night they will not appeal any further against the GAA’s decision to throw them out of the championship after being found guilty of the charge of “misconduct which is considered to have discredited the Association”.

The run of double-digit defeats came to an end but there was still that familiar chasm on the scoreboard between Cork and Down at the final whistle in Croke Park yesterday.

Undefeated Fermanagh, led by a in-form Seamus Quigley, completely pulverised Leitrim in a one-sided clash at Enniskillen.

The debate about Ashley Young’s willingness to go to ground in the penalty area — and the supposedly favourable treatment enjoyed by Manchester United from Premier League officials — will continue unabated after the defending champions moved a step closer retaining their title at Old Trafford last night.

If you’re emotionally involved, it’s squeaky bum time between now and Monday night in England but for the rest of us, the tickle-your-fancy factor doesn’t get much better than what’s on offer over the next 72 hours — a brace of marquee name FA Cup semi-finals which double as tasty city derbies, along with another two helpings of the most entertaining Mancunian soap since the glory days on Corrie when the blessed Betty Turpin was serving up her famous hotpot at the Rovers’ Return.

It seemed incredible in 1994 that the cover-up involving the paedophile activities of Fr Brendan Smyth had been going on for 19 years by the time it brought down the government of Albert Reynolds.

Kilmeen Drama Group were worthy winners of the RTE All-Ireland Drama Festival in 2011.

If ever there was an ideal fixture to mark the appointment of Roy Hodgson as England manager then this was it.

Isaac Boss has doffed his hat to Ulster and warned that Leinster will need to improve on Sunday’s Heineken Cup semi-final display against Clermont Auvergne if they are to deny his former teammates a first title in 13 years.

Manchester United boss Alex Ferguson last night accused Manchester City counterpart Roberto Mancini of “badgering” the officials after the pair clashed on the touchline during last night’s derby at the Etihad Stadium.

It might have been the third of its kind in as many years but never has this Cork team given a clearer message that they are not to be messed with.