OPEL AWARDS: Kilkenny's Derek Lyng Tyrone's Brian Dooher are the latest recipients of the Opel Gaelic Player of the Month Awards for August in hurling and football respectively.
Lyng has been one of the many Kilkenny stars who won their third All-Ireland SHC in-a-row last Sunday. During the championship he formed a formidable midfield partnership with James "Cha" Fitzpatrick and scored three points in the final against Waterford.
"Derek Lyng has established himself as one of the best midfielders in the game and has come to embody the selfless work ethic that has become part of Kilkenny's no-nonsense style under Brian Cody," Donal O'Grady, chairman of the Opel Gaelic Players hurling selection committee.
"In the All-Ireland semi-final against Cork, he turned in a magnificent performance that broke the spirit of his immediate opponents. He seemed to come out on top in all the decisive battles for possession, drove forward with purpose and never shirked his defensive duties - a talisman with both strength and skill."
In Dooher's case he has been instrumental in Tyrone reaching their third All-Ireland SFC final in six years where they will take on defending champions Kerry.
"I often hear people describe Brian Dooher as a great old warhorse, but that does him an injustice. For a start, he has too much all-round football skill to be lumbered with that label and in any case, his engine is so dynamic that he could probably outgallop your average warhorse," said Jack O'Connor, chairman of the Opel Gaelic Players football selection committee.
"His man-of-the-match display against Dublin in the All-Ireland quarter-final smacked of real class. Apart from three delightful points from play, he again showed his natural leadership qualities by repeatedly looking for the ball and opening up the Dublin defence with his powerful, selfless runs.
"He was also to the fore in the semi-final victory over Wexford, once more underlining his importance to the Tyrone game plan," added the former Kerry manager.
CAMOGIE: Cork and Galway have named their starting line-ups ahead of this Sunday's All-Ireland Senior Camogie Championship final at Croke Park.
Cork have made one change from the side that defeated Tipperary in the semi-final with Elaine O'Riordan coming into the side in place of Linda Dorgan.
O'Riordan came off the bench in the semi-final win against Tipperary to score Cork's third goal.
Galway make two changes since their semi-final win over last year's champions Wexford.
Sarah Noone replaces Lorraine Ryan in midfield while Brenda Kerins replaces Deirdre Burke up front.
Cork: A Murray; L O' Connell, C Foley (Capt), J O' Callaghan; G O' Connor, M O'Connor, S Hayes; O Cotter, B Corkery; A O' Regan, U O' Donoghue, E O' Sullivan; S Burns, R Moloney, E O' Riordan.
Galway: S Earner; S Tannion, A Kelly, T Manton; A.M Hayes, S Cahalan (Capt), N Kilkenny; A Hillary, S Noone; M Dunne, T Maher, V Curtin; O Kilkenny, J Gill, B Kerins.
Referee: E Browne (Tipperary).