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A brilliant player forever wrapped up in the memory of 1986. That brilliant goal against England and his tour de force against Belgium in the semi. It was his tournament. The greatest I've seen. His genius, charisma, his troubled personal life and his humble origins endeared him to the Neapolitans in a way that few if any others have managed at any club. RIP Diego

Padraig Mannion would have been my choice but congratulations to Cian Lynch, a fine hurler and ambassador for the game.

On a different note I was saddened to hear of the death of Leonard Enright, a great fullback on a Limerick team that interrupted Cork hegemony in Munster. May he rest in peace.

Many prominent republicans were GAA men:
Michael Colllins was secretary of the London Geraldines and later treasurer of the London GAA board.
Padraig Pearse was chairman of the Leinster Colleges Council of the GAA in 1911
JJ Walsh, later government minister, was chairman of the Cork Co Board
Harry Boland was a member of the Dublin Co Board and a prominent referee
Thomas Ashe, Eamonn Ceannt, Con Colbert, Michael O'Hanrahan and Sean MacDiarmada were all members
Austin Stack was chairman of the Kerry Co Board

Apart from the above there was huge involvement of GAA men in 1916 - among those arrested were:
Tipp footballer Denis O'Callaghan
Galway Co Board Sec Stephen Jordan
Kerry footballers Pat Landers and Dick Fitzgerald
President of the Kerry Co Board Thomas Slattery
President of the GAA James Nowlan
Wexford footballers James Rafter, Thomas and Andrew Doyle, and Sean O'Kennedy
Almost all of the Enniscorthy Volunteers club
Matt O'Toole vice-president of the Meath Co Board
Louth footballer Tom Burke
Pat Larkin chairman of the Galway Co Board
Dan McCarthy later president of the GAA
Jack Shouldice of the Dublin Co Board
PD Breen of the GAA Central Council
Willie Walsh of the Waterford Co Board
Large numbers from the O'Tooles, Geraldines, Parnells and Crokes clubs in Dublin including the famous Johnny Beggs and the McDonnells brothers.

In his evidence to the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Rising, the Under Sec for Ireland, Sir Matthew Nathan, explicitly named the GAA as an anti-British association that had contributed to the Rising.
 

Take the coast road back along the cliffs from Kilkee to Knocknagarhoon. Then on to Loop Head past the Bridges of Ross. Stop off to see the Little Ark in Kilbaha before heading to Carrigaholt for a quiet pint in Keane's pub while enjoying the view across the Shannon estuary to the hills of Kerry.

Great result for Westmeath and also for Carlow. Both counties obviously doing good work at underage.

If I was Eoin Murphy I wouldn't be looking forward to his next meeting with Brian Cody! He was at least partly at fault for the first, should have kept out the second and was largely responsible for the third goal. Conor McGrath's goal was a thing of beauty, a carbon copy of his goal in the 2013 final replay. Clare played very well but it will be interesting to see how their movement copes in the pressure the Waterford backs will put it under.

Once Waterford put on the heat yesterday there was no way back for Limerick. As stated by AZ, the short puckouts were lunacy. They were outmuscled in the forwards - Cian Lynch was easily held. I thought Limerick would have more about them. Waterford were very good and impressive.

I expect Mayo to be better but I'm not sure about Dublin.

I think Dublin will need to try something a bit different this time around. There's been a lot of talk about the strength of our panel but essentially Gavin sends out the same team each day. I'd like to see him try to unsettle that Mayo defence with perhaps Fenton to full forward for a time or Jack McCaffrey at CHF. Something like Mayo tried in 2013 with Keith Higgins

Friend with two hill looking for swap , long shot I know but I said I'd post it up on forum for him.

I'm not willing to swap but he might want to add a little bit of €€ because of price difference

Money difference of course will be given .

Hi Larry - I have a Hogan lower tier and will swap for a Hill. Only the one I'm afraid.

He was gym manager in parnells. Think they've squandered all their cash now though so not sure if he's still there

He's still there

RIP Aaron. Condolences to his family and friends

Yeah, I'd agree with most of that. Dublin got a great start but Laois came right back into it got level and then conceded the third goal. They put huge pressure on the short Dublin puck outs and Dublin's short passing in defence got them in all sorts of bother. In the second half the Dublin midfield got on top but their shooting was dreadful and it was this that kept Laois within touching distance.

I thought the programme about him (was it Laochra Gael?) was excellent and showed him as a gentleman who was very humble about his achievements and prowess. One of the greats may he rest in peace

[Clare v Galway]

All Ireland Under 21 Hurling Championship Semi Final 2009
Clare v Galway

7-15pm - 9-05pm

Four goals for Joe Canning.

One of the best games of hurling I've ever seen

A great man and a great leader. The dignity with which he carried himself was inspiring.

Malachy Clerkin in today's Irish Times
Presumably a note of congratulations will be read out at the next meeting of the Cork County Board.