The Ireland team to play Italy in the RBS 6 Nations Championship at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday has been named and coach Declan Kidney has opted for an unchanged lineup.

Declan Kidney had a full strength squad to choose from having put his big match preparations against the French on ice following the late postponement of the Stade de France encounter.

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This week’s Offaly GAA Fixtures and results which includes a mouthwatering double header of Leinster Colleges SF A Championship semi-finals in Navan

FIXTURES

Friday

Division 3 Hurling League

Ballycumber: Brosna Gales v Edenderry S Fleming 8pm

Saturday

Leinster Colleges SFC A Semi-finals

Navan: Moate CS v Colaiste Eoin 1pm

Navan: St Mary’s Edenderry v Dundalk Colleges 2.45pm

(First named team at home. All games 3pm)

Division 1 FL

Edenderry v Clara M Carty

Division 1 HL

Doon: Brosna Gaels v Carraig/R/Town B Gavin

Division 2 HL

Birr v Killeigh T Carroll; Coolderry v Ballyskenagh S Whelehan; Killavilla v Killurin D McLoughlin; Shinrone v Crinkle M Walsh; St Rynaghs v Kinnitty P Freeman

Division 3 HL

Seir Kieran v Drumcullen J P Costello; Raheen v Shamrocks N Cooney; Ballinamere v Tullamore C Groome

Sunday

(First named team at home. All games 12pm)

Division 1 HL

Kinnitty v Kilcormac/K D Cooke; Shamrocks v Shinrone N Cooney; Lusmagh v Seir Kieran M Kirwan; Belmont v Birr A Ryan; Tullamore v Ballinamere N Flynn

Division 2 HL

Clara v Drumcullen M Mahon

Division 3 HL

Mountbolus: Kilcormac/K v Coolderry G Connors; Ballycumber: Brosna Gales v Edenderry S Fleming

RESULTS

Division 1 FL

Walsh Island 4-12 Ballycumber 1-8; Ferbane 1-7 Erin Rovers 1-7; Rhode 0-11 Raheen 1-4; St Brigids 3-11 Shamrocks 0-5; Tullamore 2-8 Tubber 1-9

Division 1 HL

Shinrone 2-11 Carrig & Riverstown 0-7

Division 2 FL

St Rynaghs 4-12 Ballycumber 0-11; Ballyfore 2-7 Bracknagh 2-6; Doon 1-11 Durrow 2-6; Gracefield 1-10 Kilclonfert 0-4

Division 3 FL

Cappincur 6-17 Ballinagar 1-10; Tullamore 1-10 Edenderry 1-8; Ballycommon 0-10 Tubber 0-10; Gracefield 1-7 Killiegh 0-5; Clara 4-15 Rhode 0-2

Division 3 HL

Kilcormac / Killoughey 2-15 Drumcullen 2-7

Minor Football League Round 1

St Broughans 3-13 Ballycumber 0-4; Edenderry 3-20 Gracefield 4-8; Na Fianna 4-17 Rhode Og 1-2; Tullamore 2-12 St Vincents 0-12

St Mary’s of Edenderry secured the final place in the semi-final line up of the Leinster Colleges ‘A’ championship when they overcame Athlone Community College by a comfortable eight point margin at Páirc Chiaráin in Athlone on Friday afternoon.

Athlone CC 1-5

St Marys, Edenderry 1-13

They now advance to meet Dundalk Colleges at the semi final stage of the competition, with both sides hoping to progress to a final where either Coláiste Eoin of Dublin or Moate Community School will be the opposition.

After a strong performance in the North Leinster League and some very good displays in their early championship outings against the Marist of Athlone and Ardscoil na Tríonaide of Athy, Edenderry were well fancied to clear this hurdle of the competition. However they made very hard work of matters, particularly in the early stages of this game.

See this week’s Offaly Express for full report

The 2011 Offaly GAA Senior Footballer of the Year Richie Dalton picked up another award last weekend when he was chosen as Edenderry GAA Club Senior Footballer of the Year.

The Edenderry captain was a key factor in The Reds return to the top kicking vital points in the final as his side overcame Clara. He is currently recovering from injury and his presence is being greatly missed at inter-county level.

A double award winner on the night was another Offaly panelist who has missed time this year through injury. David Hanlon was chosen as the U-21 Footballer of the Year and he also brought home the award for Junior Hurler of the Year.

The Awards night was held in the Hamlet Hotel in Johnstown and with over 250 attending, a great night was had by all. The club would like to thank John O’Neill and all the staff at the Hamlet as well as everyone who supported the club by attending.

The award recipients on the night were:

Minor ladies Player of the Year: Aisling O’Connor

Minor Player of the Year: Sean Doyle

U-21 Player of the Year: David Hanlon

Junior footballer of the Year: John Gorman

Junior hurler of the Year: David Hanlon

Senior ladies player of the Year: Aoife O’Neill

Senior player of the Year: Richie Dalton

Club Person of the Year: Pat Cullen

Supporter of the Year: Noel Guing

Hall of Fame: Liam Moran

See this week’s Offaly Express (February 22) for extensive photographic coverage

See this week’s Offaly Express for your full page poster which is part of 7 pages of dedicated coverage.

Ulstr Bank All Ireland Junior Cup Final stats

Tries

Tullamore: 0

Monivea: 0

Penalties Scored

Tullamore: 0

Monivea: 1

Drop Goals

Tullamore: 3 (Colin Draper, Aaron Deverell, David Clavin)

Monivea: 0

Penalties Awarded

Tullamore: 8

Monivea: 8

Line-outs

Tullamore: 11

Monivea: 10

Own line-outs lost

Tullamore: 2

Monivea: 0

Scrums Awarded

Tullamore: 14

Monivea: 15

Sin Binnings

Tullamore: 1

Monivea: 1

(Small margin for error)

Tullamore became the first team to win multiple All Ireland Junior Cup titles when they overcame Monivea in the final in Dubarry Park last Saturday.

It was Tullamore’s third appearance in the final since 2008 and it was their second win having overcome Navan in the final in 2009 on the same ground.

This win however was secured in somewhat unconventional fashion as three drop goals in the opening 15 minutes of the second-half from three different players proved the difference as Tullamore held on for a deserved 9-3 win that should have been more comfortable given the raft of try scoring opportunities they created.

For Monivea it was their second consecutive defeat in the final having lost out to Crosshaven in the 2011 decider.

While Tullamore celebrated their win on Saturday night, they did so knowing that for them the season is far from over.

This weekend their attention returns to the Leinster League where they are currently in second place, five points adrift of Skerries with two gam s remaining.

They travel to third place Enniscorthy who and they must win and get a bonus point if they are going to put pressure on Skerries for the last day of the season.

Skerries play Coolmine in a North County Dublin derby and their last match is at home against Garda who may be fighting for their survival in this competitive league. Tullamore finish their campaign in Spollenstown against Coolmine.

Tullamore have some injury concerns following last week’s hard hitting cup final with hooker Cian Glennon the biggest doubt.

While three drop goals were enough to win the Cup Final last weekend, Tullamore need tries in their coming games and either Coolmine or Garda to do them a favour if they are to finally claim the Leinster League title to put with their cup crowns

See Pages 32, 33, 34, 35, 36 and 50 of this week’s for extensive and unmatched coverage of Tullamore ‘s win in the Ulster Bank All Ireland Junior Cup Final

All roads are leading to Abbeyleix for this weekend’s Birr and District Motor clubs annual tarmac stages rally. The Abbeyleix Manor Hotel sponsored event kicks off the first round of the Rally Championships on Sunday morning.

There is a cracking entry list which consists of five World Rally cars and two Super 2000 cars in the top ten. Blasting away at the front of the pack this weekend will be number one seeded Kevin Barrett/Sean Mullay (Subaru WRC). Monaghan crew Niall Maguire/Enda Sherry (Subaru WRC) are at number two with Carragalines Brian O’Mahony/John Higgins making their second appearance in a McKinstry run (Subaru Imprezza WRC )at number 3. Robert Barrable/Dermot O’Gorman will make history this weekend being the first crew to tackle a Birr event in a Super 2000 rally car in their Skoda Fabia S2000 at 4.

There is a strong local contingent part taking in this event with Templemore crew Paul O’Brien/John Kinihan (no 38 )competing in a newly built class 11 Honda Civic followed closely by Nenaghs Andrew Slattery/Shaun Forde (Subaru Imprezza). The class 13 battle continues with William Cavanagh/Oliva Cowen, Eoin Woods/TBA, John Cavanagh/John Nolan and Kieran Guinan/Alan Higgins all driving Ford Escort Mk2s.

Durrows Oliver Stanley/Edward Thompson will be out in their newly built Ford Focus, followed by Mark Kane also in a new car a Mk2 Escort. Nenaghs Davey Forde/Cecil Doak will be out in their class 15 Subaru Imprezza. Ballacollas Mark Kirwin will be co-driving for Joey Carroll in a Citroen C2R2, while brother Brian will be driving his Peugeot 206.

Borris-in-Ossory’s Frank Dwyer is swapping the passenger seat for the driver’s seat for this year’s rally driving his Ford Ka with Barry Foyle doing an opposite swap and navigating for Tommy Kelly in a Honda Civic. Keith Murray will navigate David Fitzsimons in a class 13 escort with Robert Lewis returning to the stages after a two year absence.

Finally help is also required and anyone intending on marshalling or helping out in any way is asked to contact Ger on (087-2156419). Rally programmes will also be available in Rathdowney, Durrow and Abbeyleix from Friday. The club would also like to wish Clerk of the Course Bill Ryan and his team the very best of luck in the running of the rally this weekend .Rember safety first, Keep The Race In Its Place and please obey all Rally Marshalls. For More information log on to www.Birrmotorclub.com.

Ireland’s rugby squad finally get the opportunity to bounce back from the opening Six Nations defeat to Wales this week.

Declan Kidney has a full strength squad to choose from having put his big match preparations against the French on ice following the late postponement of the Stade de France encounter.

No major changes are expected this weekend for the visit of the Italy.