All-Ireland hurling quarter-finals set: Limerick v Dublin and Galway v Tipperary

Saturday’s All-Ireland SHC preliminary quarter-finals went entirely as excepted, with Tipperary and Dublin advancing to the last six of the competition.

Apart from Laois’s victory over Dublin in 2019, the Joe McDonagh Cup finalists had not come within nine points of the provincial third-place finishers in the other nine games played at this stage and it was more of the same at the weekend.

Six years ago, Laois had been coming off a morale-boosting McDonagh Cup triumph but here they were having to face into a clash with Tipperary just six days after the final defeat to Kildare.

Played before the Cork-Roscommon SFC clash at Laois Hire O’Moore Park, the game finished 3-32 to 0-18 in favour of the visitors, who now progress to a quarter-final meeting with Galway this coming weekend.

Three early Willie Connors points and a Jason Forde goal had the Premier County in command from the very start. While Laois did improve, a mean Tipp full-back line ensured that goal chances were at a premium for the hosts and it was 1-18 to 0-12 at half-time.

Though Paddy Purcell pointed for Laois on the restart, it was as good as it got for them as Tipp bared their teeth. Sam O’Farrell and Forde both had goals in a period of real dominance and, as the bench was emptied, further chances for green flags were created but not taken.

The outcome was never in doubt, though, and Tipp now face into the Galway game on a run of three championship victories.

The other quarter-final will see Dublin take on Limerick after the Metropolitans beat McDonagh champions Kildare by 3-25 to 0-13 at St Conleth’s Park in Newbridge.

The real prize for the Lilywhites’ second-tier win is a place in next year’s Leinster championship and expecting them to rise to this occasion less than a week later was always fanciful.

Ronan Hayes and Diarmuid Ó Dulaing had first-half goals as Dublin retired with a 2-14 to 0-5 advantage and Fergal Whitely netted in the second half as Seán Currie finished with eight points. David Qualter was Kildare’s main marksman, finishing with the same tally.

Unless Dublin can spring a shock against Limerick, the winners of the Tipperary-Galway quarter-final will provide Cork’s opposition in the All-Ireland semi-final. A Galway win would guarantee a clash with the Rebels but, if Tipp and Dublin both won, the Dubs would face Cork with Tipp up against Kilkenny.

It is worth nothing, though, that Dublin have won their last two championship meetings with the Shannonsiders, albeit in 2011 and 2015. The only other county able to claim such an accolade are Offaly, triumphant in the Treatymen in 2008 and 2010.

In Saturday’s Electric Ireland All-Ireland MHC semi-final, Waterford – beaten by Cork in the Munster decider – saw off Kilkenny at Chadwicks Wexford Park on a scoreline of 2-21 to 2-18.

Cormac Spain finished with 2-6 for the Déise, who now face Clare in the final.