FARRELL IS DOING JOB HIS OWN WAY

DUBLIN have started the season at 100mph.

In previous years Jim Gavin tended to field a third string team in the O’Byrne Cup, as he sought to add one or two players to his League squad.

The logic was that no player should be able to make the step straight into a Dublin Championship team.

Dessie Farrell has called on a handful of regulars this January.

This new approach by Dublin may be put down to the fact the inter-county year is six weeks shorter than normal with the split season coming in.

Or it may be the fact Dublin need one or two new players for League and Championship so they want to bed them in with older heads to make it a more realistic environment.

Competition

Either way, their biggest test of the year comes today against Billy Sheehan’s Laois.

Elsewhere, the AllIreland intermediate hurling semi-finals have thrown up two unlikely combinations for a competition dominated by Kilkenny and Cork teams over the years.

It features Tooreen (Mayo) against Naas (Kildare) and Kilmoyley (Kerry) against Banagher (Derry).

TODAY

Dr McKenna Cup final Monaghan v Donegal, Healy Park, 5pm - TG4 O’Byrne Cup final Dublin v Laois, Netwatch Dr Cullen Park, 3pm - TG4 McGrath Cup final Kerry v Cork, Fitzgerald Stadium, 2pm Walsh Cup Antrim v Galway, Darver, 2pm; Wexford v Kilkenny, Chadwicks Wexford Park, 2pm

TOMORROW

Munster Hurling Cup final Clare v Limerick, Cusack Park, 2pm Walsh Cup Offaly v Dublin, Birr, 2pm Kehoe Cup Meath v Carlow, Kilmessan, 2pm; Westmeath v Kildare, Raharney, 2pm All-Ireland Club SHC semifinals Ballyhale Shamrocks (Kilkenny) v St Thomas’ (Galway), FBD Semple Stadium, 3.30pm - TG4; Slaughtneil (Derry) v Ballygunner (Waterford), Parnell Park, 1.30pm - TG4 All-Ireland Club IHC semifinals Tooreen (Mayo) v Naas (Kildare), Ballinasloe, 1.30pm; Kilmoyley (Kerry) v Banagher (Derry), Connacht Centre of Excellence, 2pm All-Ireland Club JHC semifinals Ballygiblin (Cork) v Fullen Gaels (Britain), MW Hire O’Moore Park, 12.30pm; Salthill-Knocknacarra (Galway) v Mooncoin (Kilkenny), TUS Gaelic Grounds, 1.30pm