Cork's iconic full back Diarmuid O'Sullivan has ended weeks of speculation by announcing his retirement from inter-county hurling. The news comes as no surprise after 'The Rock' hadn't returned to training following the resolution of the dispute involving the Cork players, county board and former manager Gerald McCarthy. The 30-year-old spent the winter playing rugby with Highfield, but remained united with his Cork team-mates throughout the five-month stand-off. He lined out for his club Cloyne last Saturday in a county SHC game against Bishopstown and afterwards met with new manager Denis Walsh to inform him of his decision not to return.

Cork retained their Bord Gáis Energy women’s National Football League Division One crown with a devastating performance against Mayo in Kiltoom on Saturday. Jim McEvoy’s reigning Munster and All-Ireland kingpins collected the league title for the fourth time in five seasons. Rhona Buckley’s first-half goal helped Cork ease into a 1-10 to 0-5 half-time lead. Buckley was a late change to the Cork line-up as she came in at full-forward for Amy O’Shea and more than justified her inclusion with a fine first-half display. Dominant Cork could even afford the luxury of 10 first-half wides while Mayo, chasing the game, registered eight wides in the second half. Buckley forced Mayo goalkeeper Yvonne Byrne into a smart 12th-minute save before the St Finbarr’s star netted in the 17th minute after taking a pass from Deirdre O’Reilly. Mayo had a chance to get back into contention in the 24th minute but top-scorer Cora Staunton fired a penalty wide. Staunton scored two points early in the second half but Cork then stepped on the gas and roared to victory.

The fine line between success and failure was firmly evident at O'Moore Park, Portlaoise as a 62nd minute goal from Colm O'Driscoll stole the Cadbury's All-Ireland U21 Football Championship from Down's grasp as the Rebels claimed their eleventh title. Down were seeking a first success in this competition since 1979 but they were cruelly denied as a resolute Cork claim a last gasp win The Mournemen managed by former Ireland International Rules manager Peter McGrath had taken the lead on two occasions in the second half thanks to well earned goals, but it was Cork's lone three-pointer which secured the Clarke Cup for the Rebels. Goals from Eamon Toner and captain Timmy Hanna saw Down take the lead on two occasions in the second half but a resiliant Cork weren't to be denied their second All-Ireland title in three campaigns.

A superbly taken goal from James Masters five minutes from time ensured Cork of this year's National Football League Division Two title as they saw off a brave second-half challenge from Monaghan at Croke Park this afternoon. Conor Counihan's men had put in a five-star first-half display to lead their Ulster counterparts by six points at the break, with two genuine goal chances going to waste, but a Tommy Freeman inspired Monaghan threatened to turn things around in the early stages of the second-half and it wasn't until Masters hit the net that the issue was settled for Cork. The Rebels opened the scoring after a minute of play when young wing forward Paul Kerrigan broke loose down the left flank and slotted over with his left boot. From the resultant kick-out Paul Finlay made a fine fetch at centre-field before laying off to Dick Clerkin, who over-carried possession on his own 45 metre line from where Daniel Goulding slotted over from the ground. Monaghan's reply came from corner-forward Mark Downey sending over a sweet left-footed point on the turn, but they should level by the fifth minute only Finlay dropped his central 35-metre free into the hands of Alan Quirke. The leaders had a superb goal chance soon after, when centre-forward Patrick Kelly was threaded through only to be blocked by a diving Clerkin from behind, but they'd move three clear by the quarter anyway, after Donnacha O'Connor drilled over the rewarded '50' and backed up the effort with another placed kick.

Cork manager Conor Counihan has named an unchanged team for Sunday's NFL Division 2 final against Monaghan at Croke Park. With Pearse O'Neill, Noel O'Donovan and John Miskella back to full fitness, changes were expected, but Counihan has decided to keep faith with the side that defeated Armagh to clinch promotion two weeks ago. Towering full forward Michael Cussen remains sidelined with a collarbone injury. Cork (SF v Monaghan): A Quirke; R Carey, G Spillane, A Lynch; N O'Leary, G Canty, M Shields; A O'Connor, N Murphy; P O'Flynn, P Kerrigan, P Kelly; J Masters, D O'Connor, D Goulding.

Cork produced a stunning fightback but still finished second-best to Munster rivals Waterford in a Division One thriller at Pairc Ui Chaoimh (2-22 to 3-15). The Decies led by 1-7 to 1-3 after 23 minutes. Centre forward Seamus Prendergast opened the scoring after just 15 seconds and Eoin Kelly followed up with a second Waterford point. Corner forward Barry Johnson found the net for the Rebels but the visitors replied with a three-pointer of their own from full forward Gary Hurney. Jamie Nagle (2), John Mullane and Stephen Molumphy all added to the Waterford tally, with Pa Cronin pulling one back for the Leesiders. The Decies soon built an eight-point lead, 1-11 to 1-3, with Kelly firing over three of their points.

Cork edged out a wasteful Dublin to set up a Cadbury All-Ireland under 21 football final showdown with Down at Semple Stadium yesterday. The Rebels lost their captain and top scorer Colm O'Neill to injury and centre forward Shane McCarthy to a red card in the closing stages, but still managed to hold on against a Dublin side who will be ruing their huge tally of 16 wides, 10 of which came in the first half. The winners, whose manager John Cleary was serving a touchline ban, started brightly and led by 1-4 to 0-2 after 24 minutes thanks to a brilliant left-footed strike by O'Neill. But Dublin cut the gap to three points, 1-4 to 0-4, at half-time. Jim Gavin's side started the second half strongly and regained parity after 38 minutes when Barry O'Rorke's goal made it 1-6 apiece. The Dubs then moved ahead two minutes later when Paddy Andrews pointed, but Cork - who always found scores earlier to come by - hit back with a run of four unanswered points and they managed to hold until the finish.