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An innovative initiative by the GAA supported by AIB — the GAA Play and Stay introductory blitzes — is aimed at increasing the participation of young people (between seven and eight) in Gaelic games and will take place in 16 Blitz centres in Mayo.

It's late in the evening, when this writer speaks to Adrian Hession, the full time hurling coaching officer with the Mayo county board, but it's always late in the evening when he puts the hurls away and gets to sit down and relax as he spreads the word of hurling in the county.

This weekend sees the Mayo soccer season really kick into life, with the premier division and Down being in action over the last few weeks, the time has now come for the Super League sides to get in on the action. Westport United will be looking to make it three titles in a row this season and following on from their extra time Connacht Senior Cup victory over Athenry last weekend they have been set up perfectly for the new domestic season. The Coveys will start their campaign away to Manulla in Carrowmore on Saturday evening. Padraig Burns and Kevin Cusack’s team should expect a tough encounter from the central Mayo side who are capable of taking on and beating anyone on the day, especially at home. The league’s three promoted sides, Straide and Foxford United, Kilmore, and Fahy Rover all face a tough start to the season.

Three Buccaneers players have been included in Ireland squads for summer international matches. With virtually the full Ireland 15 heading off with the British and Irish Lions to South Africa and Leinster playing in this weekend’s Heineken Cup final, many fringe players get an opportunity to stake their claims for future selection.

A quiet start to life in the Leinster championship it may be, but Galway hurlers will enter O’Moore Park, Portlaoise on Sunday aware that a positive statement needs to be made on an historic afternoon.

Galwegians RFC youth academy has celebrated a successful year on the field.

Kilkenny manager Brian Cody will be pleased his star players are back on the playing field having recovered from injuries.

This summer will see Irish traditions brought back with a clash of the ash in Kinvara with Feile Cuchulainn taking place from June 12 to 14 .

Last Sunday’s clash between Cork and Kerry reminded me so much of Mayo’s All-Ireland final versus Meath in 1996. Mayo could and should have won in 1996. Cork could and should have won last Sunday. Cork were ahead by five points with 15 minutes remaining but were clinging on in those final minutes when Kerry came storming back into the game in typical bullish fashion. Cork have only themselves to blame as they should have been out of sight, notwithstanding the fact that referee Maurice Deegan stands accused of leaning very much in favour of Kerry in the closing stages of the match. He had indicated two minutes of additional time to be played in the second half, but left the clock running. Cork managed to edge in front with a converted 45 within those two minutes and appeared to have pulled off a sensational victory. But inexplicably Deegan managed to extend playing time by a further two minutes and, to add insult to injury, advanced the last free awarded to Kerry by 20 metres, giving Bryan Sheehan the easiest of chances to convert and level the game. The additional time played created a lot of debate after the game and Mick Curley, the chairman of the National Referees’ Association, was invited by RTÉ Radio 1 to discuss the matter. Curley, himself a former referee, understandably wasn’t ever going to land his former referee colleagues in the manure and went on to defend Deegan stoutly. I was on the same radio show and decided that I should come to the defence of both Deegan and Marty Duffy (Croke Park referee), reminding listeners that a young Pat McEneaney, who refereed the All Ireland in 1996, had a terrible game and we here in Mayo managed to forgive him for some of his bizarre decisions in both the drawn and replayed final of that year. Mick Curley did go on to suggest that he would be personally in favour of a countdown clock similar to that used so effectively in ladies football, rugby, and basketball, that would make life so much easier for referees. You know I’m not so sure about this at all. I never minded a draw in football, as long as I wasn’t involved in any way with a participating team. A drawn game creates great debate afterwards. Also I am delighted to have the opportunity to see these two teams have another go at progressing to a Munster final tomorrow evening. TV3 has again decided to televise the match at 5pm, and with a live Leinster championship encounter involving Kildare and Wexford also beamed into our living rooms at 7pm, we can have no complaints about our national broadcaster. If Cork do manage to prevail next Saturday evening, they will advance with great confidence and it will take a very good performance to beat them later in the year.