Who’s in action?
The All-Ireland SHC has been whittled down to four, with the two semi-finals to be played this weekend at Croke Park.
First up, Munster champions Cork take on Niall Ó Ceallacháin’s Dublin, throwing-in at 5pm on Saturday.
On Sunday, Leinster champions Kilkenny face Tipperary, with that game getting under way at 4pm.
Where can I watch?
Both games will be televised live on RTÉ2 and the RTÉ Player for those watching in the Republic, and will also be shown on BBC Two and the BBC iPlayer, as well as GAA+ for those farther afield.
RM Block
The Irish Times will have live coverage of both games on our GAA live story, followed by reaction and analysis from our team of writers.
How did the counties get here?
A hectic championship has thrown up its fair share of surprises, with reigning champions Clare booted out at the provincial stages before Limerick fell on their sword in the quarter-finals.
[ Dublin’s win over Limerick may be the greatest upset in championship historyOpens in new window ]
Tipperary
Tipperary qualified for the All-Ireland series as the third-placed team from Munster, where they opened with a draw against reigning provincial champions Limerick before suffering a 15-point defeat to Cork. The Premier County rallied against the Banner, defeating Brian Lohan’s charges in Thurles, before capping off their provincial campaign with a nine-point win against Waterford. Liam Cahill’s side easily dispatched Laois in their preliminary quarter-final before another comprehensive win over Galway in the last eight.
Cork
It may have taken extra-time and penalties, but Cork succeeded in dethroning Limerick in Munster to earn passage straight to the All-Ireland semi-finals. After a shaky start in Munster against old foes Clare, letting slip a 12-point half-time lead to take a first-round draw at Cusack Park, Pat Ryan’s side flexed their muscles against Tipperary, only to be pulled back down to earth with a 16-point trouncing against Limerick. A win over Waterford eased the pain somewhat, but revenge proved the ultimate healer, beating Limerick on penalties in a Munster final classic at the Gaelic Grounds.
Kilkenny
For Kilkenny, it was a case of go the road you know. Derek Lyng’s side once again charged through Leinster, comfortably beating all bar Wexford – Keith Rossiter’s team springing a final-round surprise at Wexford Park to win by seven points – on their way to the decider against Galway. The Tribesmen couldn’t emulate Cork’s Munster magic to loosen Kilkenny’s hold on the Bob O’Keeffe Cup, the Cats claiming their sixth successive Leinster title to bypass the preliminary and quarter-final stages, slotting themselves back into the semi-finals.
Dublin
There may be some competition for the outstanding story of the season, but the Dublin hurlers are right up there. After a middling Leinster campaign – taking three wins (Offaly, Wexford and Antrim) and two losses (Kilkenny and Galway) – Niall Ó Ceallacháin’s men qualified for the preliminary quarter-finals as the third-placed Leinster team. A huge 3-25 to 0-13 win over Joe McDonagh Cup winners Kildare got the Dubs motoring, and come their quarter-final against Limerick they put in a clinical performance that the four-in-a-row champions could neither replicate nor subdue, even with Dublin reduced to 14. John Kiely’s men were shunted out of the championship in one of the biggest upsets of the summer.
How have their past encounters gone?
Cork v Dublin
This will be the 20th championship meeting of Cork and Dublin, the Rebels holding the upper hand with 16 wins to Dublin’s two, just one ending in a draw.
No need to cast the minds back too far to recall their last encounter; en route to last year’s All-Ireland final Pat Ryan and Co met Dublin in the quarter-finals, winning 0-26 to 0-21.
You have to roll back the tape to 1927 to find Dublin’s last triumph over the Leesiders, which came in that year’s All-Ireland final.
Kilkenny v Tipperary
Although the counties are well acquainted historically in hurling, Kilkenny and Tipperary haven’t met in the championship since 2019, when Séamus Callanan lifted Liam MacCarthy for the Munster men after a 3-25 to 0-20 victory over Brian Cody’s Kilkenny.
Tipp also came out on top when the sides met in the 2016 decider, but it was Kilkenny who took the title in 2014 after the final went to a replay.
Are there tickets still available?
Tickets went on general sale last Monday (June 23rd), with Saturday’s game between Cork and Dublin selling out in just over two hours.
As of Thursday morning, tickets remained available for Kilkenny v Tipperary.
