GAA All-Ireland Hurling semi-finals preview: All you need to know about Limerick vs Galway & Kilkenny vs Clare
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Kilkenny legend Henry Shefflin hopes his Galway side can end Limerick's bid for a fourth successive All-Ireland title
All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship semi-finals |
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Date: Saturday 8 & Sunday 9 July Venue: Croke Park, Dublin Throw-in: Limerick vs Galway (Saturday, 18:00 BST) & Kilkenny vs Clare (Sunday, 16:00) |
Coverage: Watch both games on BBC Two Northern Ireland and BBC iPlayer; live text commentaries & in-play clips, reports, reaction & highlights on BBC Sport website & app |
This year's provincial hurling finals served up two memorable games, and with all four finalists completing this year's All-Ireland semi-final line-up, there is reason to expect an exhilarating double-header at Croke Park this weekend.
The semi-finals will commence at Croke Park on Saturday with Munster champions Limerick taking on a Galway side aiming to wreck the Shannonsiders' four-in-a-row bid.
Then on Sunday, Leinster champions Kilkenny take on Clare, who have proved to be one of the stand-out teams of the season.
With records to be broken and scores to settle, here is all you need to know about the All-Ireland semi-finals.
When are the games?
Limerick v Galway is at 18:00 BST on Saturday with Kilkenny v Clare at 16:00 on Sunday.
How can I watch?
You can watch both semi-finals on the BBC iPlayer, BBC Two Northern Ireland and the BBC Sport website.
The BBC Sport website will have live text commentaries of both games, as well as reports, highlights, analysis, reaction and in-play clips, while you can also stay up to date across the BBC Sport NI social media accounts.
Coverage of Limerick v Galway starts at 17:30. Presenter Thomas Niblock will be joined in studio by Tipperary manager Liam Cahill, Clare legend Jamesie O'Connor and three-time Limerick All-Star Ciaran Carey. Oisin Langan will be joined in the commentary booth by Antrim legend Neil McManus.
On Sunday, the build-up to Kilkenny v Clare begins at 15:30. Thomas Niblock will be joined by Neil McManus, Wexford star Lee Chin, Clare great Seanie McMahon and Paul Murphy, a four-time All-Ireland winner with Kilkenny.
Oisin Langan will be joined on commentary by Jamesie O'Connor with Sarah Mulkerrins providing pitchside updates for both games.
Are replays possible?
No. There must be a winner on the day, so extra-time and penalties are possible.
GAA All-Ireland hurling semi-finals: All you need to know about hurling
Limerick vs Galway team news and preview
Limerick's recent dominance in Munster and the All-Ireland series makes them strong favourites to win their fourth consecutive Liam MacCarthy Cup, a feat only previously achieved by Cork between 1941 and 1944 and Kilkenny between 2006 and 2009.
John Kiely's side secured their 11th All-Ireland title last year after running out 1-31 to 2-26 winners in an epic battle with Kilkenny at Croke Park.
The Shannonsiders will feel it is their time to create history and cement their status as one of hurling's greatest ever teams.
Limerick earned themselves a spot in this year's semi-finals following an enthralling encounter against Clare in the Munster final at the Gaelic Grounds last month.
The dramatic decider came down to the dying moments with Clare being denied a last-ditch free, resulting in a narrow 1-23 to 1-22 victory for the holders.
Limerick lifted the Mick Mackey Cup for a record-equalling fifth time in a row alongside Cork, who have achieved that feat on three separate occasions.
Limerick have a few injury worries heading into Saturday's game. With captain Declan Hannon ruled out through injury, Kyle Hayes has been shifted to centre-back with three-time All-Star forward Gearoid Hegarty named at wing-back.
Two-time hurler of the year Cian Lynch - who missed the Munster final - takes Hegarty's place in the half-forward line, while Peter Casey replaces Graeme Mulcahy at left corner-forward.
Patrickswell star Cian Lynch, hurler of the year in 2018 and 2021, is back in the Limerick line-up for Saturday's game
The Treaty County will face a Galway side hungry for revenge in a repeat of last year's semi-final classic that resulted in a 0-27 to 1-21 for the champions at Croke Park.
The Tribesmen, managed by Kilkenny legend Henry Shefflin, are aiming to reach their first All-Ireland final since 2018 - which they lost to Limerick -
Galway, whose senior footballers also lost last year's All-Ireland final, were denied a first Leinster title since 2018 by Kilkenny, who clinched the Bob O'Keefe Cup with a sensational last-puck winning goal by Cillian Buckley.
Galway looked destined for the title after an impressive second-half comeback from eight points down inspired by substitute Jordan Flynn's goal, but fell short due to a late surge from the Cats.
The loss at Croke Park meant Galway would have to see off Tipperary in the quarter-finals at the Gaelic Grounds in order to earn another trip to the capital.
The gripping encounter found Galway in a similar position to the Leinster final, but Shefflin's men avoided further heartache to hang on and earn a 1-20 to 1-18 victory over Tipp.
Now their biggest challenge awaits. The seemingly unstoppable force that is Limerick.
Shefflin, who won 10 All-Ireland titles as a player, has named an unchanged team for Saturday's game.
Limerick: Nickie Quaid; Mike Casey, Dan Morrisey, Barry Nash; Diarmaid Byrnes, Kyle Hayes, Gearoid Hegarty; Darragh O'Donovan, Will O'Donoghue; David Reidy, Cian Lynch, Tom Morrissey; Aaron Gillane, Seamus Flanagan, Graeme Mulcahy.
Subs: David McCarthy, Conor Boylan, Ronan Connolly, Aaron Costelloe, Colin Coughlan, Adam English, Richie English, Graeme Mulcahy, Barry Murphy, Cathal O'Neill, Oisin O'Reilly.
Galway: Eanna Murphy; Jack Grealish, Daithi Burke, Darren Morrissey; Padraic Mannion, Gearoid McInerney, Joseph Cooney; Sean Linnane, Cathal Mannion; Ronan Glennon, Cianan Fahy, Kevin Cooney; Conor Whelan, Brian Concannon, Evan Niland.
Subs: Darach Fahy, TJ Brennan, Fintan Burke, Adrian Tuohy, Liam Collins, Tiernan Killeen, Tom Monaghan, Conor Cooney, Declan McLoughlin, Gavin Lee, Jarlath Mannion.
Referee: James Owens (Wexford)
Kilkenny vs Clare team news and preview
Kilkenny have not won an All-Ireland title since 2015. For a county with a record 36 Liam MacCarthy Cups, that is a serious drought.
Manager Derek Lyng has already impressed in his debut season, winning in his first attempt at silverware in the Leinster Championship - a monumental 75th provincial title for the Cats.
But it is in the All-Ireland series where Lyng's managerial ability will inevitably be judged as the record of his predecessor speaks for itself.
During Brian Cody's 24-year tenure, Kilkenny won 11 All-Ireland titles and 18 Leinster titles, securing Cody's place among the managerial greats.
This period of transition has left questions of what to expect from this side. The Cats have lost their previous three All-Ireland finals but won their last four in Leinster. Can they break their eight-year duck?
Clare stalwart Tony Kelly, an All-Ireland winner in 2013, comes into Sunday's game in red-hot form after hitting 3-4 against Dublin
Kilkenny comfortably defeated Sunday's opponents Clare in last year's semi-final, but Clare have looked like a different force in 2023.
The Bannermen stormed their way to this year's Munster final and took the All-Ireland champions Limerick to the wire, but their hopes of a first provincial title since 1998 were crushed by a single point.
Clare hit 13 wides and missed six shots on goal to boost Limerick to their fifth Munster title in a row.
But having pushed Limerick all the way, Clare fans will feel optimistic about their side's chances this weekend.
Brian Lohan's side got themselves back to winning ways in the quarter-finals, cruising past Dublin with a 5-26 to 2-17 win at the Gaelic Grounds in Limerick.
Banner stalwart Tony Kelly starred in that game, scoring 3-4 to send the Dubs crashing out of the championship.
The four-time All-Ireland winners will see this year as a real chance to end their absence from the final having not contested a showpiece since their last triumph in 2013, when they beat Cork in a replay after two riveting games.
For Clare, Rory Hayes and David McInerney return to the defence as Seadna Morey and Darragh Lohan drop out. John Conlon is fit enough to start while Conor Cleary is welcomed back from a dislocated shoulder.
The Kilkenny team shows just one change from the Leinster final, but it's a significant one as fit-again Adrian Mullen has recovered from a thumb injury to partner Conor Fogarty in midfield. Richie Reid replaces Darragh Corcoran in the half-back line.
Kilkenny: Eoin Murphy; Mikey Butler, Huw Lawlor, Tommy Walsh; David Blanchfield, Richie Reid, Paddy Deegan; Conor Fogarty, Adrian Mullen; Tom Phelan, Martin Keoghan, John Donnelly; Billy Ryan, TJ Reid, Eoin Cody.
Subs: Darren Brennan, Conor Delaney, Cillian Buckley, Padraig Walsh, Darragh Corcoran, Alan Murphy, Cian Kenny, Timmy Clifford, Walter Walsh, Richie Hogan, Billy Drennan.
Clare: Eibhear Quilligan; Adam Hogan, Conor Cleary, Rory Hayes; Diarmuid Ryan, John Conlon, David McInerney; Cathal Malone, David Fitzgerald; Peter Duggan, Tony Kelly, Ryan Taylor; Ian Galvin, Shane O'Donnell, Mark Rodgers.
Subs: Eamonn Foudy, Aron Shanagher, Cian Galvin, Cian Nolan, Darragh Lohan, David Reidy, Patrick Crotty, Paul Flanagan, Robin Mounsey, Seadna Morey, Shane Meehan.
When is the final?
The All-Ireland Hurling final takes place on 23 July at Croke Park. The match will also be shown on the BBC iPlayer, BBC Two Northern Ireland and the BBC Sport website.