1. Clare v's Laois
Cusack Park, Ennis
Throw In: Saturday 3pm
The meeting of Clare and Laois in Phase 2 of the All-Ireland Hurling
Championship Qualifiers forms part of a tasty
double header in Ennis along with an All Ireland Football Championship Phase 2 qualifier. What is rare is wonderful and this will be a rare double header between these two counties.
Laois will come in to this hurling qualifier in bouyant mood after a very competitive Leinster semi-final against Galway and this is bonus territory for them after what has been a very
positive championship run under Séamus Plunkett so far. Having defeated both Antrim and Carlow and running Galway so close, a place in Phase 2 is a
reasonable reward though for a county that has endured a lot of torrid
seasons in the Hurling Championship in recent times. For the Bannermen they had
been enjoying a similar feel-good factor until their 0-23 to 0-15 defeat
to Cork in the Munster semi-final. This was a damaging defeat for Clare who had serious Munster
title ambitions going into that game. This game is now a shot at redemption for Clare and considering they
were many peoples' dark horses for an All-Ireland run at the start of
the season victory is the minimum requirement for them on Saturday so they get the nod with Laois left with plenty of positives to work on for next season.
Verdict: Clare
2. Kilkenny v's Tipperary
Nowlan Park, Kilkenny
Throw In: Saturday 7pm
So Kilkenny and Tipperary come together in a knock-out game before any
of the provincial championships have been decided. Who would have thought at the beginning of the season! Are the Cats in decline? Can Tipperary step in to their back yard and sneak away with a win? Kilkenny have now gone two years without a Leinster title for
the first time since 1997. Tipperary's attempt to claim a third successive Munster title has also failed. It is very difficult to put your neck on the line to call this one. Going on previous form between these sides in the latter stages of the Championship over the past no. of years the encounters have been close and tense apart last year’s All-Ireland semi-final where the Cats
romped to an 18-point victory. This years League Final encounter was once more a very close affair with Michael Fennelly dominating and scoring a Man of the Match 2-3 playing in an attacking role. However, crucially, Kilkenny are short a number
of key personnel from the league final, with Michael Fennelly and Paul
Murphy still out of contention and Jackie Tyrrell, who is named in the
side, still recovering from a quad injury. Henry Shefflin hasn’t been
named in the squad, but that won’t stop the rumour mill about a
potential late inclusion on Saturday night. On the other hand Tipperary manager Eamon O’Shea has a full squad to choose from and he has plumped for experience with both Eoin Kelly and Lar Corbett returning to their full forward line. It is never wise to write off the Cats but they do seem to be showing some signs of wear
and tear, especially in defence, and if a new-look Tipperary attack can
fire on Saturday, Kilkenny could be looking at their earliest
championship exit since 1996.
Verdict: Tipperary
3. Kerry v's Cork
Fitzgerald Stadium, Killarney
Throw In: Sunday 2pm
This the 105th Munster Championship
meeting of great rivals Cork and Kerry has been a harder sell than is
normally the case. Perhaps it’s the sense of familiarity given the
sides have met 22 times since the advent of the Qualifiers in 2001 or
maybe it’s the feeling that no matter what the outcome is, both
sides will be back in Croke Park on the August Bank Holiday weekend for
the All-Ireland quarter-finals. However, it’s
still held as dearly as ever to those for whom a win can mean bragging
rights over their neighbours or co-workers for the next 12 months. In four of the last seven times they have
played at Fitzgerald Stadium, the game has ended in a draw. So far this season both sides had up and down league campaigns while dishing out heavy beatings in the Munster Championship to this point. Colm Cooper’s positioning at centre-forward for
Kerry in those games, where he performed superbly in a play-making role,
as well as Kieran Donaghy’s omission from the side on Sunday, hints at a
change in style under new manager Éamonn Fitzmaurice. Cork manager Conor Counihan has also been slowly rebuilding a new side with the inclusion of exciting youngsters Brian Hurley and John O'Rourke. Counihan is bullish that by giving youth its chance they can trouble the Kerry rearguard, particularly debutant Mark Griffin who starts at full-back
in place of the injured Aidan O’Mahony. However, with Kerry defending an unbeaten record in Killarney dating back to 1995, take them with their greater overall experience and Cooper once more dictating matters to just over come their great rivals.
Verdict: Kerry
Pods-itivity Treble 4/1
Other mentions:
GAA Football All Ireland Senior Championship 2013 Round 2
Galway to overcome Waterford in Salthill, Laois to bring curtain down on Clare and Mick O'Dwyer's season, Derry to get revenge on Down and Tyrone to put an end to Roscommon's hopes for another season
Ulster GAA Hurling Senior Championship 2013 Semi Final - Replay
Down to take second chance this time around and defeat the Derry men
Leinster GAA Hurling Senior Championship 2013 Final
In a very tight encounter to call, Galway to burst the euphoric Dublin bubble
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