As the storm season lays siege upon the country, the club championship season is busier than ever.

Star billing goes to the Ulster football quarter-final tie between Crossmaglen and Errigal Ciarán, postponed because of last weekend's monsoons.

The break ought to have benefited Cross's sizeable All-Ireland contingent, with Oisín McConville, the McEntee twins and Francie Bellew having gone straight from Armagh's great triumph to the club's domestic programme.

Errigal Ciarán have dominated the Tyrone scene, winning their fifth title in a decade, courtesy of another virtuoso performance from Peter Canavan. With his brother Pascal and fellow Tyrone forward Eoin Gormley, Errigal present a serious threat to Crossmaglen. However, the Rangers are hungry again after a fallow year and have enough to advance.

Enniscorthy hosts the replay of the Leinster club football first round tie between Starlights and Mattock Rangers. The Louth champions' season was extended thanks to a last-minute point from Mark Brennan. Starlights look a better bet to finish the job in front of an expectant home crowd.

Kieran McDonald is to Crossmolina what Canavan is to Errigal. The blond Mayo star delivered 1-5 as his home side recaptured the county title. Managed by John Maughan, they have the experience and skill to steer them past Allen Gaels of Leitrim in the Connacht semi-final.

At other venues, the potential fare is even more lopsided. Birr, the perennial champions of Offaly, face another date with Castletown of Laois in Portlaoise. Birr have formed the backbone of many strong Offaly intercounty campaigns and despite the gentle decline of the senior side the club remains a serious force, led as ever by the Whelehan contingent. The Laois standard bearers have threatened Birr in the many corresponding ties of previous years but the All-Ireland club champions seem certain to advance.

Similarly, DJ Carey's Young Irelands team should ease past Kilmessan of Meath with minimal fuss and Wexford's Rathnure will be red-hot favourites to dispose of Naas.

The three county finals scheduled for this weekend are of premier quality. Much interest will centre on the Tipperary hurling showpiece, with Mullinahone in search of their first claim on the county silverware. Synonymous with John Leahy, Mullinahone have since produced the Kelly brothers, Eoin and Paul. It was the latter who landed a '65 in the dying seconds to give the village side a famous win against Toomevara, who had been chasing a fifth consecutive title.

Their opponents are Thurles Sarsfields, who were also involved in a classic, with veteran Eamon Walshe netting a hat-trick as Sarsfields edged past Loughmore.

This is a third successive final for Thurles. Similarly, there will be huge expectation that south Tipperary's Mullinahone, converted by the force of Leahy from a football to a hurling enclave can finally wrestle domestic hurling supremacy from the other divisions in Tipperary.

Neighbouring county Clare has a more traditional hurling showdown, between Clarecastle and Sixmilebridge. While the return of Sixmilebridge, who coasted to a semi-final win over Newmarket-on-Fergus, is not unexpected, Clarecastle's 0-12 to 1-7 win over defending champions St Joseph's was significant and they will probably be favourites.

In Galway, defending football champions Annaghdown have made it as far as the last two. Last Sunday against Mountbellew-Moylough, they trailed in a low-scoring semi-final until the final quarter when Damien Burke landed two frees to which Mountbellew couldn't respond.

Corofin, the 1998 All-Ireland champions, enjoyed a more peaceful passage and have had a fortnight to prepare for tomorrow's match. Led by Ciarán Comer and former county captain Ray Silke, they present a considerable threat to Annaghdown.

The Railway Cup begins today, with semi-finals in both hurling and football scheduled for early afternoon throw-ins.