A round-up of today's other stories in brief

Score of the weekend

IT started with a line-ball to Kerry on their 45, which was taken by Bryan Sheehan (9) to his midfield colleague Anthony Maher (8). Maher returned the ball, with Sheehan playing another one-two, this time with Eoin Brosnan (6). Sheehan hand-passed to Aidan O’Mahony (5), who saw Brosnan was on a run through the middle. In turn, Brosnan brought Maher back into the play, and the big man cut deep into the Limerick half, before returning the ball to Brosnan. The Kerry centre back wasn’t stopped until he was within 25 yards of goal. He off-loaded to Kieran O’Leary (15), who passed to Darran O’Sullivan (10). A kick-pass to Donncha Walsh (12) was followed by a beautiful kick across the goal to Colm Cooper (13). The Kerry star had the simple task of hand-passing over the bar.

Qualifier nonsense: Repeat pairings...but not in June

IT was utter madness that, in the preliminary and first phase of the hurling qualifier draw yesterday, teams that had already met in the Leinster championship could be paired with each other again.

Antrim, Laois, Carlow and Westmeath all entered the draw having already played one of the other teams in the same bowl.

It makes all the less sense when you consider that phase three of the All-Ireland hurling championship – which involves the two winners of phase one paired against the two that emerge from phase two – will, if possible, avoid a repeat pairing.

How is it right to avoid repeat pairings later in the season, but not in June?

There is better news, however, for Antrim and Laois in the football draw.

The first round of the football qualifiers takes place next Sunday evening after the Connacht clash between Leitrim and Roscommon.

After complaints from counties that were constantly being drawn away in qualifier games, this year any side that was drawn away in the first round of the 2010 draw (Derry, Antrim, Clare, Mayo, Donegal, Wicklow, Wexford Laois), will get home advantage this summer.

The teams affected by the rule for next weekend’s draw are Antrim, Clare, Donegal (if they lose to Cavan), Laois and Wicklow, who will all get home advantage in the first round – unless two of them are paired with each other (in which case the first out of the bowl will get home advantage).

Wexford’s home comfort: Model men hosting Kilkenny

IN July, 1976, at Croke Park Wexford met a Kilkenny side that was seeking its third All-Ireland in a row and sixth provincial crown in succession. The reigning champions were beaten by 17 points, their biggest defeat since the 1937 All-Ireland decider.

Wexford were beaten in the All-Ireland decider by Cork, and the following season – after again overcoming Kilkenny – fell again at the final hurdle to the same Munster opposition.

Two months later, November, 1977, a still hurting Kilkenny side visited Wexford Park for a league tie. This was no time for fielding a team of rookies. The rivalry, and the 7,000 attendance, demanded full-strength battalions. Unfortunately, while the minds were willing, the weather and the physical condition of the teams, were not - and an awful match ended with a one-point victory for Wexford on home soil.

Next Saturday Kilkenny will play Wexford at Wexford Park in a senior championship encounter for the very first time. That’s right, the first time. It’ll be the first-time clash in summer championship conditions. In fact, tomorrow Kilkenny and Wexford meet at Wexford Park in the Leinster Under-21 hurling quarter-final. Then on Saturday the same teams, and a few of the same players, meet at the same venue for the senior clash. And, to cap it off, on June 25th the rivals meet in the minor hurling semi-final – again in Wexford Town.

Whatever about Kilkenny, for Wexford, these three home clashes in 15 days will define their season.