U21 draw paves way for ‘Old Firm’ final

Cork and Kerry have been kept apart in next year’s Munster U21 football championship draw and cannot meet until the provincial final.

The perennial football favourites in the province will both play U21 quarter finals - Clare hosting Cork while the Kingdom will entertain this year’s beaten All-Ireland finalists, Tipperary.

Waterford will play the winners of Clare-Cork while Limerick will host the other semi-final against Kerry or Tipp.

At last night’s Munster Council draws, Damien Irwin’s Cork U21 hurlers were paired with Limerick, at a Cork venue, in the quarter-final, with the winner playing Tipperary. Waterford meet Clare in the other semi-final.

In the slightly revised format at minor level - introduced to avoid any county being put at a competitive disadvantage — Limerick and Clare meet in a quarter-final while Cork will host Waterford at the same stage. Tipp play the loser of Cork-Waterford, and the loser of that game gets another chance against the beaten team in the Limerick-Clare quarter.

In minor football, the format is again tweaked, but initial pairings see Kerry go to Waterford, Clare host Limerick and Cork host Tipperary.

The dates and venues for these fixtures will be made shortly.

Meanwhile, it was confirmed at the meeting that the Munster SHC clash of Clare and Waterford will be played at Semple Stadium.