Hurling championship: Key dates for Cork fans with seven counties left in All-Ireland series

There are seven counties left in the hunt for Liam MacCarthy after All-Ireland champions Tipperary were dethroned with a game left to play.

Cork, Limerick and Clare have qualified from Munster with all three in contention to reach the provincial final. Up in Leinster, Dublin are through with two of Galway, Kilkenny and Offaly. It would take a heavy defeat for Galway in Wexford, Offaly hammering Kildare and Kilkenny beating Dublin for the Tribe to be knocked out.

Assuming Limerick defeat Tipp next Sunday, then Clare will have to get the better of Cork by four points or more at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh to edge them out.

The Rebels' cause is not helped by the loss of Darragh Fitzgibbon and Robbie O'Flynn on top of Ciarán Joyce and Rob Downey. Cork or Limerick against Clare in the Munster final would be in the Páirc on Sunday, June 7, while Cork-Clare would take place in the TUS Gaelic Grounds.

Clare got their season back on track as they dominated from pillar to post in Thurles, even if it took a second-quarter scoring burst, largely driven by young guns Diarmuid Stritch and Seán Rynne to open up a 0-14 to 0-8 advantage.

The Banner restored David McInerney and John Conlon to add steel in defence but Tipp, who had Willie Connors dismissed, were miles off the pace. Ian Galvin hit the net in the second half as Brian Lohan's side eased to a 1-25 to 0-17 victory.

Waterford, aided by the wind in the first half, started strongly on Shannonside and went ahead in the second half courtesy of a 52nd-minute Kevin Mahony goal. However, the concession of two quick goals to Peter Casey and Gearóid Hegarty put the favourites firmly in control.

Shane Bennett did get a consolation goal from a penalty but it finished 2-29 to 2-20. With their four games played, the Déise exit the championship early once more.

Dublin secured their spot in the All-Ireland series with an unexpected 3-16 to 0-21 victory in Salthill.

Galway hit 17 wides to the Dubs' three while the visitors' bench press made the difference with John Hetherton and Ronan Hayes delivering 1-2 from play and another 1-1 in assists, including Brian Hayes' key injury-time goal.

Niall Ó Ceallacháin's side now top the Leinster table on seven points so a win or draw against Kilkenny would seal a provincial final place. If Offaly, who beat Wexford over the weekend, defeat Kildare in their last game, they'll go ahead of the Cats if they lose to Dublin.

An Offaly win and a Kilkenny-Dublin draw would put both counties on six points but the Noresiders have a vastly superior scoring difference to the tune of 30 points.

Galway travel to Wexford for their last match, where a win would guarantee their Leinster final berth regardless of the Dublin-Kilkenny result. If Wexford and Kilkenny win, it would be a Dublin-Kilkenny provincial decider with Galway coming third.

KEY DATES

SUNDAY, May 24: Dublin v Kilkenny, Wexford v Galway, Kildare v Offaly, Cork v Clare, Limerick v Tipperary.

SATURDAY, June 6: Leinster final.

SUNDAY, June 7: Munster final.

June 20-21: Quarter-finals.

July 4-5: Semi-finals: Leinster champions on Saturday, Munster champions on Sunday.

SUNDAY, July 19: All-Ireland final with provision for a replay on August 1.