Cork hurlers likely to face Limerick in All-Ireland semi if they can beat Offaly and Dublin
Limerick manager John Kiely reacts to a turnover of possession late in clash with Cork last month at SuperValu Páirc Ui Chaoimh. Picture: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile
CORK'S path to the All-Ireland hurling final is now clear.
Unless Wexford or Laois beat Clare in the All-Ireland quarter-final, Cork will face Munster champions Limerick in the semis on July 7.
That's provided of course that Pat Ryan's side can negotiate the next two rounds where they're paired with Joe McDonagh Cup winners Offaly next Saturday in Tullamore and then Leinster runners-up Dublin in Thurles on June 22.
Leinster champs Kilkenny play their All-Ireland semi-final on Saturday, July 6, where they'll meet Clare for the third year running, assuming the Banner can recover from Sunday's 1-26 to 1-20 defeat to Limerick when they take on the winners of next Saturday's Laois-Wexford preliminary quarter-final.
First up, for Cork fans is a trip to Tullamore next Saturday afternoon for a highly attractive double-header.
Offaly's thrilling 2-23 to 0-26 Joe McDonagh Cup final victory over Laois at Croke Park means they'll host the hurlers, most likely at 5pm, in the All-Ireland preliminary quarter-final.
It will be preceded by Cork-Tyrone in the last Sam Maguire group stage game at 3pm, where a win for John Cleary's charges will send them directly into the All-Ireland quarter-final. The hurlers will then meet Dublin in Thurles on Saturday, June 22, should they defeat Offaly.
Both of the matches next Saturday will be streamed on GAAGO but there will be a strong demand for tickets, with the Rebels buzzing after some excellent displays in both codes in recent weeks, while the Faithful are on a high after lifting the U20 All-Ireland and McDonagh Cup in the space of eight days.
They're promoted back to the Liam MacCarthy Cup proper for 2025 but also still in contention for this year's big prize.
FULL-TIME HIGHLIGHTS ❗️🤩🤝
— The GAA (@officialgaa) June 8, 2024
OFFALY 2-23
LAOIS 0-26@CLGLaois @Offaly_GAA #GAANOW pic.twitter.com/C14pcGZ2yh
When Laois captured the McDonagh Cup in 2019 they knocked out Dublin, who had finished third in the Leinster group stages, before going out to Tipperary in the All-Ireland quarter-final.
Offaly are not to be underestimated by Cork, even if Pat Ryan's side were dominant in the league meeting back in March. Offaly have put huge underage work in and are reaping the reward. They had the composure at Croker on Saturday to cope with Laois' second-half comeback and clip the last three points.
Charlie Mitchell was a worthy Man of the Match, having picked off four crucial points at full-forward, while Óisín Kelly's low finish to the net from the throw-in at the start of the second half proved decisive. U20 star man Adam Screeney was well policed but Dan Bourke showed his potential throughout and Ben Duignan clipped 1-4 from play.
Laois were left with plenty of regrets though, squandering too many goal chances and firing a succession of wides. Their starting midfield pairing of Paddy Purcell and Aidan Corby combined for 0-9, so they couldn't be faulted.
The scene had been set for a cracking Leinster decider, given Dublin ran Kilkenny close in the group meeting and had eliminated Galway at Salthill, but they failed to fire at all in the first half. Eoin Cody set the tone with a terrific early goal and TJ Reid pounced on an error to raise a second green flag and by half-time it was a grim 2-18 to 0-9 gap.
There was no major improvement in the second half at an understandably flat Croker, TJ Reid benefiting from another defensive mistake to grab a second goal, though Dublin did find the net in the closing stages.
The final whistle sounded with the Cats facile 3-28 to 1-18 victors to make it five in a row in Leinster.
Clare never hurled well enough to cause an upset as Limerick secured their sixth Munster crown in a row. They shot too many wides, especially from placed balls, while Mark Rodgers struck the base of the post from close range with 15 minutes to go and the Banner in the ascendancy.
Gearóid Hegarty's neat finish midway through the second half cancelled out Peter Duggan's goal on the stroke of half-time and Limerick, as usual, had more scoring options from distance. Their half-back line of Diarmaid Byrnes, Declan Hannon and Kyle all scored from play to the tune of 0-6 between them and Tom Morrissey hit his quota of four points.
Having won the league, Brian Lohan and his players will just have to refocus now on the big prize.
Assuming Clare win their quarter-final, which they'll be strong favourites to do, and Cork get the better of Offaly and Dublin, then the Rebels would be paired with the Munster champions Limerick in the All-Ireland semi-final on Sunday, July 7. Kilkenny and Clare would take place the day before.
Offaly v Cork, Tullamore; Laois v Wexford, Portlaoise, on Saturday, June 15.
Dublin v Cork/Offaly; Clare v Wexford/Laois, on Saturday, June 22, both in Thurles.
Leinster champions in action on Saturday, July 6; Munster champions in action on Sunday, July 7, both in Croke Park.
Provincial finalists can't meet again in the last four, teams from the same province are kept apart where possible.
Sunday, July 21, Croke Park.
App?
