YOU gave it a pet name. It knows more about you than your mother does. Sometimes you even sleep with it. In fact, you’re so attached to it that being separated for only a few minutes could send you into a panic.

IN perfect summer conditions, a powerful Limerick side proved too strong for Clare in Cusack Park yesterday as they booked their place against Cork in next Wednesday’s Munster Under-21 hurling final.

TONY WALL’S early goal proved the deciding score at the end of this exciting fourth round IHC encounter at Mallow yesterday.

MEMORIES of the 1996 Cork SFC final meeting between Clonakilty and UCC will be revived after the students last night set up a quarter-final clash in this year’s championship with the West Cork side.

JOHN CORKERY inspired Aghabullogue to victory over wasteful Fermoy at a Mourneabbey yesterday in their Cork IFC fourth round clash.

IF ever a team was set up for a beating it’s Dublin in tomorrow’s All-Ireland senior hurling semi-final. Consider first their injury woes.

IF Darren Clarke’s British Open victory at Sandwich proved anything it was that the adage about horses for courses still holds firm when it comes to golf’s Major championships.

THE 12,000-plus Americans living in Ireland have been warned that they must declare their income or assets before the end of the month.

WHEN I slip on the Superman jim-jams, pile an extra marshmallow into my Irish Examiner-branded mug of hot cocoa and pad up the stairs to bed with a water bottle tucked under my arm, I like to have a good book waiting on the bedside cabinet.

IT TOOK more than 80 minutes of spellbinding action before Limerick grasped the provincial U21 hurling trophy for the sixth time after a sensational Bord Gáis Energy Munster decider before 8,536 supporters in the Gaelic Grounds last night.

SHAMROCK ROVERS’ Champions League dream might have crashed and burned in Tallaght but at least they have the consolation of being parachuted into the play-offs of the Europa League.

TYRONE’S Sean Cavanagh admits he would sacrifice the prospect of winning another provincial title to take a detour through the championship’s back door.

CORK were crowned All-Ireland minor A ladies’ football champions after a thrilling victory in Birr.

THE drawn match had been an engrossing and tightly-balanced affair but Cloyne’s complete superiority ensured there was to be no repeat in Saturday’s Cork SHC third round replay in Páirc Uí Chaoimh.

SCENES of jubilation from Dromina hurling supporters greeted the final whistle in Castletownroche last night as they secured their IHC status for another year after a hard fought victory over Cobh.

A SUPERB late Gary McCabe equaliser saw Shamrock Rovers cheered off the pitch in Tallaght last night but the earlier concession of an away goal means that Partizan Belgrade retain the whip hand in this Europa League play-off game ahead of next week’s second leg in the Serbian capital.

HAVE you noticed it’s always those who tell you to “chill out” who snap first? During the pre-match tipple we speculated on the forthcoming fare, and few saw anything other than a comfortable victory.

THE greatest sign of any game is when you see people hanging around long after the final whistle, talking about what they had just witnessed.

ANTHONY DALY is a smiler.

ST CATHERINE’S cruised into the Cork IHC semi-finals last night after seeing off a strong challenge from Kanturk at Castletownroche.