Waterford face possible re-match with Rebels
With wins over Offaly and Dublin, Cork and Tipp top Group 1B and square off in a winner-take-all tie on Saturday in Semple Stadium.
The losers, and second placed-team in the group will head into battle against Dan Shanahan and Co.
And the prize for the victors? A quarter-final meeting with defeated Leinster finalists, Wexford.
Cork last faced Waterford in the Munster SHC semi-final when the Rebels minus the suspended Donal Óg Cusack, Diarmuid O’Sullivan and Seán Óg Ó hAilpín crashed to a (5-15 to 3-18) defeat in Thurles last month.
Tipp and Waterford last squared up in the 2006 Munster SHC semi-final with Babs Keating’s side recording a 3-14 to 1-12 victory.
All-Ireland and Leinster champions Kilkenny await the runners up of Group 1A while the table-toppers will face Limerick.
Clare, favourites to top the group, have won both their games and are away to pointless Laois in their third and final tie.
Antrim and Galway who both have one win under their belts meet next weekend in a game likely to decide the second spot and a date with Brian Cody’s side.
The four quarter-finals will be played over two weekends — July 22 and 29.
Meanwhile Derry’s reward for their sensational one-point victory over Armagh is a meeting with Mayo in the second round of the All-Ireland SFC Qualifiers.
Mayo, overcame Cavan, (1-19 to 3-7) on Saturday night and boss John O’Mahony is adamant that Paddy Crozier’s team will be overwhelming favourites to progress on home soil.
“We’ll be roaring underdogs anyway,” said O’Mahony.
“Derry beat one of the favourites for the All-Ireland yesterday and that was a huge win for them.
“The fact they did it without Enda Muldoon makes it even more impressive. It’s also a home game for them and that’s a huge factor.
“Our game against Cavan went to plan in the sense that we won but that performance wouldn’t be good enough to beat Derry,” he added.
“We need to improve on certain things but we have nothing to lose now. Derry will be favourites and all the pressure is on them.”
Donegal, who defeated Leitrim after an extra-time thriller on Saturday night are away to Westmeath — conquerors of Longford.
Said Donegal boss Brian McIver: “The only thing you hope for in the qualifier is to get a home draw. And that hasn’t happened for us this year. We were down to Carrick-on-Shannon on Saturday night and now we are down to Mullingar next weekend.
“We faced one Dessie Dolan on Saturday night (Leitrim manager) and we face another Dessie Dolan (Westmeath star) next week weekend which must be a first.
“It has all the makings of a fantastic back-door game. After the game on Saturday night went to extra time, we have a lot of tired limbs but we have no serious injuries thankfully.”
In the other games Kildare play host to Louth while Meath face Fermanagh at home next weekend.
Meanwhile, Mick O’Dwyer’s Wicklow and Páidí Ó Sé are on course for a meeting in the Tommy Murphy Cup.
Ó Sé’s Clare will play Antrim while the Garden County have been paired with John Kiely’s Waterford in the semi-finals of the competition.
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