Limerick to repay 2008 debt by lining out in Cork
Going back to their 2008 quarter-final in the Gaelic Grounds, Limerick owed Cork a home knockout league game, and so their clash will take place in Páirc Uí Rinn following the footballers’ Division 2 tie with Down.
However, the venues for two of the other quarter-finals and the relegation game were decided by a coin toss.
Division 1A holders Tipperary lost the toss to Offaly and so their game will top the bill in O’Connor Park, where the footballers face neighbours Laois in a Division 3 relegation finale.
The Galway-Waterford quarter-final in Pearse Stadium follows Galway footballers’ Division 2 affair with Kildare, in which they hope to join the Lilywhites in the top flight next season.
Clare won the toss against Dublin and so will enjoy home advantage for the second time this spring. Clare’s footballers welcome Meath to Cusack Park in the 2pm curtain-raiser.
All five of Sunday’s Division 1 hurling matches, including the Kilkenny-Wexford fixture in Nowlan Park, have 4pm throw-ins.
For the first time ever, the quarter-finals will be decided by free-taking competitions in the event the teams haven’t been separated following extra-time periods of two 10-minute halves and two five-minute halves. Each team will have five frees, each to be taken by a different player, and all to be struck anywhere along the 65 metre line.
Meanwhile, Tyrone face an anxious wait to see if they will have Matthew Donnelly and Harry Loughran available for Sunday’s Division 1 trip to Killarney. Donnelly could be cited for an incident involving Aidan O’Shea at the final whistle in Healy Park on Sunday, while substitute Loughran caught Cillian O’Connor high as the Mayo forward went to retrieve the ball. Both Tyrone, who are on seven points, and Kerry, who are on six, can qualify for the Division 1 final, but the Kingdom’s relegation concerns have not yet been allayed.
A second successive Dublin-Kerry final is on the cards should Dublin beat Monaghan, the Kingdom get the better of Tyrone, and Mayo defeat Donegal by sufficient margins, as four teams would then finish up on eight points.
Dublin may not need to beat Monaghan in Clones to qualify for the final, but Donegal know a win in Castlebar will see them through to the decider in Croke Park on Sunday week. A draw would suffice for Rory Gallagher’s side, should Monaghan fail to beat Dublin.
Cavan will be looking to improve their score difference, as well as beat Roscommon in Hyde Park on Sunday, to give them the best chance of avoiding relegation. A win would bring them to six points. Should Mayo lose to Donegal and Kerry draw with or beat Tyrone, Cavan would finish ahead of Mayo on their head-to-head record.
Elsewhere, Kilkenny’s Pádraic Walsh was released from hospital on Sunday and was permitted to return home with the team having taken a big blow to the head from a sliotar in the first half of the win over Dublin in Parnell Park. Though Walsh is understood not to have suffered concussion, it was decided not to risk him in the second half as he had blood in his ear. Medics will know more about his condition when the swelling on his face goes down and whether he will be fit to face Wexford this weekend.
