Munster SHC Round 1 Full-time: Clare 3-21 Cork 2-24 (a draw), Cusack Park, Ennis.
Full time: Tipperary 2-23 Limerick 2-23 (a draw), FBD Semple Stadium Thurles.
Ulster SFC Quarter-Final Full-time: Monaghan 0-21 Donegal 0-23, Clones.
Connacht SFC Semi-Final Full time: Galway 1-24 Roscommon 0-18 Pearse Stadium.
Rob Finnerty was named man-of-match in Galway’s comfortable win over Roscommon, leading from the front from the start.
Here’s some reaction from Galway manager Padraig Joyce, duly heaping praise on the Galway team performance.
John McGrath was on fire this afternoon for Tipperary, his second goal worth another look.
A live on-the-whistle update from Denis Walsh in Thurles -
The second draw of the day in the Munster championship after a spell binding match in Thurles finished 2-23 apiece. A free from Tipperary’s Darragh McCarthy with 20 seconds of stoppage time remaining brought the sides level for the last time after a second half that lurched one way and then the other. A brilliant goal from Shane O’Brien gave Limerick the lead and the momentum three minutes in the second half, but Tipperary responded just three minutes later with a terrific goal from John McGrath. Limerick led for most of the second half until McGrath scored his second goal at the end of a sweeping five pass move through the centre of the Limerick defence seven minutes from the end of normal time. From there till they end Tipp and Limerick traded points and blows. A cracker.
FULL-TIME: Galway 1-24 Roscommon 0-18: It’s all over in Salthill, Galway dominating the game throughout, with nine different scorers, winning by nine points to set up a Connacht final meeting with Mayo.
FULL-TIME: Tipperary 2-23 Limerick 2-23 ( a draw): Darragh McCarthy levels the game again with a free, with one minute left to play, as he makes no mistake either. In the crazy endgame, neither team can find the winning score, and it ends in another draw!
Tipperary 2-22 Limerick 2-23: Limerick win a free through, on 72 minutes, and Aaron Gillane makes no mistake, sending his shot straight as an arrow between the posts. Two minutes to play.
Tipperary 2-22 Limerick 2-22. It appeared to be level again in Thurles, with 67 minutes played, Adam English finishing off a frantic passage of play with the score from Limerick. It’s checked by Hawkeye, however, and ruled a Nil! However Diarmaid Byrnes then draws level for real as the clock spills into added time.
GOAL! Tipperary 2-22: Limerick 2-21: After missing a free, Darragh McCarthy draws Tipp level again on 62 minutes. Limerick briefly hit back, but then another sensation goal from John McGrath puts the home team two points up. Limerick soon hit back with a point, and the game is heading for another grandstand finish.
Galway 1-19 Roscommon 0-15: Another from from Rob Finnerty on 55 minutes keeps Galway at arms length, Roscommon working hard to stay in the game.
Tipperary 1-22 Limerick 2-18: After a superb score from Seamus Kennedy, another cool Darragh McCarthy free brings the game level on 58 minutes.
Tipperary 1-19 Limerick 2-18: A trademark long-range free on 51 minutes by Diarmaid Byrnes gives Limerick a two-point cushion.
Galway 1-18 Roscommon 0-14. With 48 minutes played, a succession of scores from Cillian McDaid and Dylan McHugh restores the lead to nine. Roscommon do get one back via Donie Smith.
Tipperary 1-18 Limerick 2-17: It’s still end to end in Thurles, Tipp getting it back to a one-point game thanks to Noel McGrath, before Aaron Gillane hits a whopper from play to edge Limerick two points clear again.
Galway 1-15 Roscommon 0-12: Just when Galway looked to be kicking on again in Salthill, Roscommon respond with a super two-pointer from Diarmuid Murtagh, then one from play from Ciaran Murtagh on 43 minutes.
GOAL! Tipperary 1-17 Limerick 2-13: And just like that John McGrath his straight back for Tipp, who regain the lead on 40 minutes.
That lovely two-pointer by Paul Conroy that closed out the half.
GOAL! Tipperary 0-17 Limerick 2-12; Shane O’Brien hits a second goal for Limerick on 37 minutes, and the Munster champions are back in front by a point.
Limerick’s first half goal was deftly finished, but they still trail Tipp by three points at half time
A live update from Denis Walsh in Thurles -
Tipperary are leading by three points at the break, 0-16 to 1-10, after a thunderous first half. With four championship debutants in their Tipp have torn into the Munster champions and rattled off the last five points of the half. Adam English scored Limerick’s goal after 18 minutes, flicking the ball through Barry Hogan’s legs, after the Tipp goalie had made a terrific save from Gearoid Hegarty early in the game. Tipp’s response though was impressive and their full back Eoghan Connolly ended the half with four points from towering frees, two of which were inside his own 45
HALF-TIME: Tipperary 0-16 Limerick 1-10: Tipperary finish out the half with an excellent run of scores, and have clearly brought their A-game to Limerick, who trail by three at the point.
HALF-TIME Galway 1-12 Roscommon 0-7: Rob Finnerty misses a close-range free for Galway on 32 minutes, just when they looked to be taking control, Roscommon keeping things physically close as best they can too. In the last run of play of the half, Paul Conroy hits an excellent two-pointer and Galway are up by eight.
Tipperary 0-12 Limerick 1-10: Another score from Jake Morris brings Tipp back to one on 28 minutes, before another score goes to HawkEye, this time awarded to Gearoid Hegarty. Eoghan Connolly gets it back to a one-point game
Galway 1-9 Roscommon 0-5: A superb two-pointer from Tierney on 22 minutes, then another from Paul Conroy, and Galway are starting to open some daylight in Salhtill.
Tipperary 0-10 Limerick 1-8: Tipp hit back to Limerick’s goal with three points, but another Gillane free puts Limerick back in front.
GOAL! Galway 1-5 Roscommon 0-4: A free from Diarmuid Murtagh levels the scores on 17 minutes, before a goalmouth scramble at the other end is eventually finished into the net by Matthew Tierney on 19 minutes. Tierney wins a free, which he converts, and Galway are up for four.
GOAL! Tipperary 0-8 Limerick 1-6. A sweetly taken goal by Adam English on 16 minutes gives Limerick an early advantage, Tipperary promptly respond with a point of their own.
Tipperary 0-5 Limerick 0-5: Diarmaid Byrnes hits a long-rance free on 11 minutes, and then Shane O’Brien levels it up again.
Galway 0-4 Roscommon 0-2: Rob Finnerty continues his great start, scoring a close-range point on 10 minutes, with the goal also at his mercy.
Tipperary 0-3 Limerick 0-3: Nine minites gone in Thurles, and Aaron Gillane levels it up for Limerick, after Tipp are denied a free at the other end.
Tipperary 0-3 Limerick 0-2: It’s raining in Thurles, and Tipperary have settled first, before Kyle Hayes scores from play to make it a one-point game.
Galway 0-1 Roscommon 0-1: They are underway in Salthill, and after Rob Finnerty opens the scoring for Galway, Colm Neary hits one back for Roscommon.
Sean Moran also has this live update from Clare’s resurrection day in Ennis -
Resurrection time in Ennis. Having trailed by 12 at half-time, All-Ireland champions Clare mounted a stunning comeback to lead against Cork in the last minute by a David Reidy free - the first time they had led - but a late free by Declan Dalton tied the match in front of 20,778 breathless spectators. A scrappy, tense second half, featuring a couple of hold-ups stretched injury-time to six minutes but two quick goals at the start of the second half from Aidan McCarthy and replacement Reidy got Clare back to the table. Cork kept in front but a 69th minute goal by Peter Duggan and a run of unanswered points pushed the home side in front before Cork rescued a draw from the jaws of calamity.
THAT goal from Peter Duggan which ultimately brought Clare back into it...
Denis Walsh is also on the ground in Thurles for Limerick against Tipperary -
One late change on the Limerick team with Tom Morrissey starting at wing forward instead of Cathal O’Neill. No changes on the Tipp team. The rain has eased off in Thurles but there is a cross-wind. A crowd of about 33,000 is expected.
A live update on the full-time score in Clones from Malachy Clerkin -
Full-time: Donegal 0-23 Monaghan 0-21. Donegal get out of Clones with a two-point victory but Monaghan made them sweat for it with a succession of two-pointers in the second half. Outstanding displays from Michael Langan, Peadar Mogan and a kick-out clinic from Shaun Patton was enough for Jim McGuinness’s side to keep Monaghan at arm’s length. It got close late on - Monaghan had the ball when the hooter went but paused over a sideline ball and referee David Clodrick blew it up. Donegal deserving winners, all the same.
FULL-TIME: Monaghan 0-21 Donegal 2-23: It’s all over in Clones, and Donegal hold on to advance to the Ulster semi-final. Monaghan never gave up the chase, hitting the last two scores, a Ryan McAnespie point, and a two-pointer from Dessie Ward.
FULL-TIME Clare 3-21 Cork 2-24 (a draw): A crazy finish to the hurling in Ennis, Aaron Shanaher winning a free in the last minute, and David Reidy converts! But there’s still time for one more play for Cork, who win a free, converted by Declan Dalton. And it somehow ends in the draw, a stunning comeback from Clare nonetheless.
LEVEL! Clare 3-20 Cork 2-23: Clare get it back to two points on 72 minutes, thanks to a David Reidy free, before Ian Galvin makes it a one-point game on 73 mins. Then Tony Kelly levels it. Another three minutes of added time to come.
GOAL! Clare 3-17 Cork 2-23: There’s one goal, a super finish by Peter Duggan makes it a four-point game on 68 minutes. Lots of injury time to come, with Tony Kelly then reducing the gap to three!
Clare 2-16 Cork 2-23: Tim O’Mahony gives Cork a little more breathing space on 66 minutes, before Mark Rogers gets a free back for Clare. Still, Clare are going to need a goal or two if they are to win this now.
Clare 2-15 Cork 2-22: Clare are just about staying in this game, Cathal Malone getting another point back on 64 minutes against 14-man Cork, but are they running out of time?
Monaghan 0-17 Donegal 0-20: A point by Jamie Brennan 21 minutes into the second half give Donegal a little more breathing space, but it remains a tight came in Clones. Stephen Mooney gets one back for Monaghan.
RED CARD! Clare 2-12 Cork 2-21: Just when Cork are starting to pull away again on 55 minutes, replacement Brian Roche scoring an excellent point from play, Cork lose Shane Barrett on a straight red card for an off-the-ball incident with David Reidy.
Monaghan 0-15 Donegal 0-17: It’s a two-point game in Clones, Michael Bannigan’s two-pointer brielfy bringing Monaghan back to within one point, before Peader Mogan adds another for Donegal, nine minutes into the second half.
Clare 2-10 Cork 2-18: Cork have settled back into the game after Clare’s fiery start to the second half, Horgan scoring from play on 48 minutes, and the lead is back up to eight.
Monaghan 0-11 Donegal 0-16: Monaghan are also staging a comeback against Donegal, Conor McCarthy hitting a two-pointer before Dessie Ward adds a point, five minutes into the second half.
GOAL! Clare 2-10 Cork 2-15: David Reidy blasts home Clare’s second gola, on 41 minutes, and the game has come alive again. It’s a very different Clare team that came out for the second half, and they now trail Cork by just five points.
GOAL! Clare 1-10 Cork 2-15: Perfect start for Clare in the second half in Ennis, Aidan McCarthy finishing off from close range on 36 minutes, set up by Mark Rogers, to breathe some life back into the All-Ireland champions. Tony Kelly then adds a point and Clare are back in this game.
A half-time update from Sean Moran in Ennis -
Cork have continued where they left off in winning the league in their first championship match in Ennis. They lead by 12 points at half-time and are running the show in virtually every sector. From the 13th minute when Brian Hayes took on Darragh Lohan while on an advantage and batted the ball into the net, for a 1-5 to 0-3 lead, the match has slipped farther and farther from the All-Ireland champions’ grasp. The defence has been under extreme pressure which told again in the 26th minute when Alan Connolly squared a pass to Hayes who rifled in a second for 2-8 to 0-5. Clare’s response has been largely frees, which Cork have been cheerfully conceding but Aidan McCarthy has fired three of those wide. It will take a sustained improvement for Clare to make this competitive in the second half, never mind avoid what would be a third successive home defeat in their championship opener.
A half-time update from Malachy Clerkin in Clones -
Donegal 0-14 Monaghan 0-8. Donegal had a decent wind behind them in a first half where Ciaran Thompson and Michael Murphy were terrific. Donegal’s defensive system is working a treat, inviting Monaghan to run at them and swallowing them up. They hammered the Monaghan kick-out too for long stretches and have only kicked one wide. By contrast, the home side have missed four two-pointers. The wind is definitely worth six points - it’s a quesiton of whether Monaghan can win enough ball around midfield to create the chances.
That second goal from Brian Hayes is worth another look.
HALF-TIME: Monaghan 0-8 Donegal 0-14: Donegal are well in contron at half-time in Clones, a late free for Monaghan reducing the gap to six. Monaghan will have the breeze in the second half.
HALF-TIME: Clare 0-9- Cork 2-15. It’s going to be a long way back for Clare in the second half, who are struggling badly to contain Cork’s ferocious forward line. They’ve scored two goals and could easily have had five. Connolly and Shane Barrett add a couple more points each from play, Horgan adding another free in injurt time. McCarthy closes out the half with another wide for Clare.
Monaghan 0-5 Donegal 0-12: A two-pointer from Ciaran Thompson on 29 minutes increases Donegal’s advantage.
Cork’s opening goal by Brian Hayes is worth the watch
Clare 0-6 Cork 2-11: Cork are starting to run riot, adding two more points from play, before Peter Duggan’s close-range shot is saved by Patrick Collins. Clare need a score fast, Aidan McCarthy then converting a free on 13 minutes.
GOAL! Clare 0-6 Cork 2-9: After Clare hit their fourth and fifth wides of the game, Aidan McCarthy sending his long-range left of the posts, Brian Hayes finishes off his and Cork’s second goal on 26 minutes, a thundering shot from close race. Darragh Fitzgibbon adds another from play and Cork are motoring.
Monaghan 0-2 Donegal 0-9. The Ulster champions are starting to open some daylight on Monaghan, Michael Murphy adding another point from play on 18 minutes. Ciaran Thompson and Peader Mogan soon add two more.
Clare 0-5 Cork 1-7: A massive save from Eibhear Quilligan denies Cork a second goal, and Clare win a free at the other end, converted by Aidan McCarthy on 19 minutes. Clare are also forced into a change, Cian Galvin replacing Diarmuid Ryan. Horgan then adds another free for Cork.
Monaghan 0-1 Donegal 0-4: Michael Langan adds another point for the Ulster champions after 10 minutes, who are starting to settle into the game.
GOAL! Clare 0-3 Cork 1-5: It’s end-to-end in Ennis, a brilliant strike from Tony Kelly on 10 minutes reducing the gap to win, before Cork strike straight back through Seamus Harnedy - then a close range goal from Brian Hayes. Cork are already starting to dominate in front of goal.
Monaghan 0-1 Donegal 0-2: In Clones, Gary Mohan has opened the scoring for Monaghan after three minutes. It’s typically intense there too. Donegal respond with a two-pointer from who else but Michael Murphy.
Clare 0-1 Cork 0-2: The All-Ireland champions are on the board, a free from Aidan McCarthy on five minutes, after Darragh Fitzgibbon scored the first from play for Cork.
Clare 0-0 Cork 0-1: It’s an intense and highly physical opening in Ennis, both teams battling hard for possession. Patrick Horgan opens the scoring for Cork with a free after three minutes.
2024 Hurler of the Year Shane O’Donnell is the big loss for Clare today, he spoke this week about his hopes to still play some role in the championship.
One late change in the Clare hurling team, Darragh Lohan replacing Conor Cleary at full back. Cork will start as selected for what is also a repeat of last year’s All-Ireland final. Opening games in the Munster hurling championship don’t come much bigger than this.
Sean Moran has a live update from Cusack Park.
Sun occasionally threatening to break through in Ennis where a capacity crowd of 20,000 await the home team’s first championship match as All-Ireland champions since 2014. Cork are unchanged but Clare make one alteration to the named team. Full back Conor Cleary won’t start and Darragh Lohan replaces him.
GAA+ have live coverage of Monaghan versus Donegal, a little teaser here with Jim McGuinness.
Here come the All-Ireland hurling champions...
Some team news from Malachy Clerkin, our man on the ground in Clones, ahead of the Monaghan-Donegal game.
Two changes to the named XVs on either side in Clones. For Donegal, Michael Langan and Stephen McMenamin replace Odhran McFadden Ferry and Jeaic Mac Ceallabhuí. For Monaghan, Ryan McAnespie and Kieran Duffy start instead of Jack McCarron and Aaron Carey. Chilly and grey here, with around 13,000 expected. for this Ulster quarter-final.
In his match preview, Sean Moran has gone for a Cork win -
Three years ago, the Munster championship opened with a rerun of the previous year’s All-Ireland final. Limerick went to Cork and showed that the relative hierarchies hadn’t really changed. This weekend, the reunion of All-Ireland champions Clare with the side they edged aside in last year’s final is however expected to signal a decisive shift in fortunes.
‘Last July was a bit different from the 2021 final – a one-point contest that went to extra time as opposed to a massacre – but it’s unusual to see the credentials of champions discarded within so short a period of time.
It is true that the teams’ respective fortunes have diverged quite violently this season, culminating in Clare’s relegation and their six-goal whopping by Cork in Ennis last month. Much of that was caused by injury and player unavailability. The team Brian Lohan names for Sunday is as strong a selection as he has been able to field this year.
Shane O’Donnell misses out because of his long-term injury and for all the admirable enthusiasm of his comments earlier this week in relation to the shoulder injury, even the most optimistic prognosis will keep him out until it may be too late.
Cork’s superpower in the league has been the rapacity of their attack and its ability to shoot goals – 13 in the last three matches. Even in this age of high point scoring, nobody wants to be needing to sling that sort of requirement over the bar if they are to keep up.
The pace of the attack, especially now that Darragh Fitzgibbon is at centre forward, and the orchestration of Brian Hayes will exert big pressure on Clare whose defence has been riddled with injury in the league and the prospects for the likes of Diarmuid Ryan hitting the ground running are at best, uncertain.
Still, Clare are sure to bring a store of doggedness to the task, especially after the league embarrassment. They are also fighting precedent, as this could be the third successive championship opener in Ennis that they fail to win even if they showed plenty of resistance in those defeats by Tipp and Limerick.
Verdict: Cork
The Clare team as selected this week -
There were also plenty of games on Saturday, none more exciting than the Munster football semi-final between Cork and Kerry, which went to extra-time before Kerry eventually prevailed. Read our report here
The full results from Saturday are -
Leinster SHC round 1
Wexford 2-24 Antrim 0-19
Kilkenny 3-24 Galway 0-21
Dublin 1-25 Offaly 2-19
Ulster SFC quarter-final
Fermanagh 0-23 Down 2-19
Connacht SFC semi-final
Leitrim 0-13 Mayo 0-20
Munster SFC semi-finals
Clare 2-18 Tipperary 1-15
Cork 1-25 Kerry 3-21 (after extra-time)
