Galway to meet Clare in All-Ireland qualifiers

Galway and Clare, who fought an epic quarter-final battle last year, have been drawn together in the first round of this year's All-Ireland qualifiers.

The sides will meet in Ennis next Saturday in a rematch of last year's clash, which Clare won thanks to a late point from Ollie Baker.

Clare were forced into the qualifiers after a heavy defeat to Cork in the Munster semi-final at Semple Stadium yesterday.

Joe Deane scored the only goal of the game as the Rebels strolled to a 1-18 to 0-10 victory to set up a Munster final meeting with Waterford on June 29.

Clare's Colin Lynch was also sent off late in the game for striking Mickey O'Connell and is expected to be suspended until the week of the All-Ireland final.

Elsewhere last night, Offaly were drawn against Dublin in the first round of the qualifiers after the two sides were knocked out of the Leinster championship by Wexford and Kilkenny respectively.

Wexford came from seven points behind at half-time to beat Offaly 0-16 to 1-12 in the Leinster semi-final at Nowlan Park yesterday. Mick Jacob scored the winning point late in the game to set up a meeting with Kilkenny in the final.

The Cats, meanwhile, beat Dublin 3-16 to 0-10 in their semi-final on Saturday.

The remainder of the qualifiers will see Tipperary facing Laois, while Limerick will meet either Kerry or the losers of the Ulster final clash between Derry and Antrim.