ON the way into the All-Ireland semi-final between Dublin and Cork, I met a man named Chris McGinty from Achill Island heading into Croke Park to watch the Mayo minors. While we were chatting, I was struck by the incredible draw people have to Croke Park and to championship matches and their sense of pride in their county.

Monaghan County Board chairman Paul Curran has come under fire from one of the county's most experienced players for comments attributed to him in relation to Seamus McEnaney.

WHEN sporting empires fall, it tends to be in dramatic circumstances, often arriving when least expected. Tipperary are 5/2 outsiders to win Sunday's All-Ireland final, but they will head for Croke Park knowing that, sooner or later, Kilkenny's remarkable run has to end.

BOUNCEBACKABILITY. It's an ugly mouthful of a word that is originally credited to former Crystal Palace manager Iain Dowie, even if cult Saturday morning TV show 'Soccer AM' claim their campaign helped to get it into the Oxford English dictionary.

ONE member of the Tipperary back-room team is dearly hoping for a 50pc return from spending successive Sundays at Croke Park.

AS the hurling world waits to see if 'King Henry' is named in Kilkenny's team tonight, a leading Irish sports medic fears Shefflin's participation in Sunday's All-Ireland hurling final will raise "absurd expectations" among others with the same injury.