Cork, Kerry champs get Munster Club byes

THE draws from the AIB Munster club hurling and football championships have been finalised.

Kerry and Cork enjoy passage to the semis of the football championship.

In the first round, the champions of Tipperary must travel to Waterford, with the winners to have home advantage for a meeting with Cork.

On the other side of the draw, Limerick will play host to Clare, with the Kingdom champions travelling to meet the winners.

In hurling, Cork and Clare have byes to the semi-finals with the Kerry champions playing host to the Tipperary representatives, while the victors of the Waterford championship will have home advantage against their Limerick counterparts.

Cork will have to travel to meet the winner of the Kerry and Tipperary tie. The same applies for Clare against either the champions of Waterford or Limerick.

The two first round hurling games will be played on Saturday, October 23 (to accommodate the Martin Donnelly inter-provincial hurling series and the Australian Rules test the following day) and the semi-finals will be played on November 7. The final will be played on November 21.

The football competition is scheduled to start on October 31, with the semi-finals on November 14 and the final to be played on November 28.

The draws for the Intermediate and Junior hurling and football competitions are be made at the Munster Council meeting of October 11.

Meanwhile, Waterford county board have confirmed the times and venues for the weekend SHC semi-finals.

Ballygunner and Lismore will play in Dungarvan on Saturday at 5.30pm, preceded by the SFC derby clash of Ardmore and Clashmore at 4pm.

On Sunday, champions Mount Sion and Ballyduff Lower meet at Walsh Park. The game was due to be played at 6pm to avoid a clash with the All-Ireland SFC final but both clubs agreed to play at 1.30pm

“We are expecting two cracking semi-finals,” county secretary Seamas Grant said yesterday.

“People may be backing another final between Mount Sion and Ballygunner, but that’s far from certain.”

Meanwhile, Lismore’s Dan Shanahan has overcome a serious ankle injury which has hampered his participation in the championship.

“Dan has made excellent progress, and while he won’t be 100% fit on Saturday, he will be close enough to it,” club spokesman Jimmy O’Gorman said.