DAMNED if they do, damned if they don’t.

DUBLIN manager Paul Caffrey would not have been unduly worried by the poor standard produced in Croke Park yesterday, but be assured that nothing will be taken for granted when the champions renew their rivalry with Meath in the Bank of Ireland Leinster football championship quarter-final on June 3.

On the eve of yet another Kerry/Cork Munster final, former players Weeshie Fogarty and Mick O’Loughlin recall epic battles from one the GAA’s greatest rivalries. They spoke to Diarmuid O’Flynn.

NO matter how much satisfaction there was to be gained from ending Chelsea’s Premiership challenge, I left our new stadium on Sunday evening, for the last time this season, feeling more than a little disheartened.

FOR Chelsea fans it has been a week of roller coaster emotions.

AS an Arsenal fan, there was a certain sadistic pleasure involved in channel hopping between the high-drama of Saturday’s high-noon double-header.

RYAN McMENAMIN has warned that Tyrone will need to up their performances if they are to claim a third All-Ireland in five seasons come September.

FOLLOWING our last couple of games, I am in a rather schizophrenic mood — I swing from being this pessimistic surrender monkey wishing (grudgingly) to congratulate my colleague Mr Kurt on his team’s winning of the league title, to this Braveheart character ready to take on United and anyone else in a fight to the death.

I HAVE to admit that Didier Drogba has stepped up to the plate so far this season, with some seriously influential strikes for Chelsea and that at this precise point in time, there’s perhaps no more daunting a sight for a Premiership defender than that of Man Utd’s Ronaldo bearing down on your penalty box at full pelt.

CORK cruised past the students of UL in a one sided McGrath Cup semi-final at Pairc Uí Rinn last night to set up a final clash against Limerick at the same venue next Sunday in what will be a dress rehearsal for their provincial championship meeting next May.

THE reaction of The Nire supporters at the final whistle told the story of this game in Páirc Uí Chaoímh.

ALL the Euro euphoria last week was very hard to bear, amidst all the media’s “best league in the world” backslapping.

HOW DO you explain this?

ONE small step by most county’s standards but recent history suggests that Mick O’Dwyer’s first game in charge of Wicklow could be described as a giant leap forward.

FROM where we were sitting in the corner of the Shed, directly in line with Essien and Lehmann’s goal, I had that sinking feeling from the moment that shot left the Ghanaian’s boot.

INSPIRED by the magnificent Brendan Jer O’Sullivan, UCC powered to the McGrath Cup semi-finals with a facile victory over Waterford IT at Fraher Field, Dungarvan yesterday.

THEY made hard work of it in the end — kicking a total of 12 second-half wides (15 in total) enabling plucky Bishopstown to stay in their faces — but St. Michael’s deserved their Ulster Bank Cork Co Premier MFC semi-final victory at Glen Rovers yesterday, setting up a final meeting with Ballincollig next Saturday.

WITH the sun splitting the trees for our penultimate matchday stroll around to our Home of Football on Saturday, it seemed as if the stage was set for a marvellous Derby day swansong.

ONLY Stephen Hunt will know whether his “challenge” on Cech was a deliberate attempt to make his presence felt early on in the match or an accident.

THE split between Waterford All-star Eoin Kelly and Mount Sion bosses deepened last night with Kelly’s fellow players coming out in support of their club management team.