Cork could host old rivals Tipperary in stadium opener

The re-opening of Páirc Uí Chaoimh could well be marked by the Munster SHC meeting of Cork and Tipperary after the two counties were once more drawn against each other at the quarter-final stage.

Cork travelled to Thurles this May where the home side recorded a nine-point win and if the redevelopment of Páirc Uí Chaoimh has been completed by the time next summer’s championship swings into action, then the Tipperary hurlers will open the defence of their Munster and All-Ireland titles on Leeside.

Paired in last night’s live televised draw in RTÉ’s Donnybrook centre, it marks the counties’ fifth Munster quarter-final meeting since 2009 “It is going to be a massive game for us,” remarked Tipperary forward Seamus Callanan.

Added former Tipperary manager Liam Sheedy: “It is a tough draw for Tipperary to be back in the quarter-final. They did it last year where they won all five games. It will be hard to do it again. That is going to be a massive match.”

Limerick and Clare, both counties who enter the 2017 championship with new managements, meet in the Munster semi-final. Donal Moloney and Gerry O’Connor will be charged with improving the county’s abysmal record in the province which has seen them from Munster final afternoon since 2008.

Limerick’s Seamus Hickey was satisfied to have avoided the quarter-final: “The real positive is to be in a semi-final. Munster is hard enough without having to play a quarter-final.”

Waterford, meanwhile, meet the winners of Cork and Tipperary in the second semi-final.

In Leinster, Galway and Dublin will meet in the quarter-final, with both sides on the opposite side of the draw to Kilkenny. The two counties met at this very juncture in 2015, with Galway scoring a comfortable replay win.

“It is a huge match,” former Tipperary Liam Sheedy said last night.

Kilkenny, who enter at the semi-final stage, have been pitted against Davy Fitzgerald’s Wexford or one of the teams from the qualifying group which consists of Laois, Westmeath, Kerry and Meath. Offaly are also paired against one of the four round-robin teams, with the winner of this quarter-final advancing to play either Galway or Dublin.

In Munster football, Cork and Kerry have been kept apart. Cork, should they overcome Waterford in the quarter-final, will set-up a second consecutive semi-final with Tipperary. On this occasion, though, Tipperary will be the visitors.

Commented Tipperary manager Liam Kearns: “We put one over Cork this year so they’ll be anxious to get us down to Páirc Uí Chaoimh, if it is ready. They have Aidan Walsh back so they are building already. We are expecting to get a couple of players back and we’ll be trying to get Peter Acheson back and a few more from foregin shores.

Added Joe Brolly: “There seems to be a lot of problems there in Cork. If the trends continue there, you’ll expect to see a Tipp-Kerry final.”

Clare and Limerick will meet in Cusack Park in the second quarter-final, with the reward a semi-final meeting with Kerry.

“It is not an easy draw,” said Podge Collins, “Limerick will be gunning for us.”