Good afternoon and welcome to Nowlan Park where we’re all set for a cracking hurling double-header.

First up, it’s Dublin v Cork. Throw-in is at 2pm.

TEAM NEWS: Here’s the Dublin team as named earlier this week.

Dublin

1. Gary Maguire (Ballyboden St Enda’s)

2. Cian O’Callaghan (Cuala)
3. Peter Kelly (Lucan Sarsfields)
4. Paul Schutte (Cuala)

5. Shane Durkin (Ballyboden St Enda’s)
6. Chris Crummey (Lucan Sarsfields)
7. Conal Keaney (Ballyboden St Enda’s)

8. John McCaffrey (Lucan Sarsfields)
9. Niall McMorrow (Ballyboden St Enda’s)

10. Danny Sutcliffe (St Jude’s)
11. Ryan O’Dwyer (Kilmacud Crokes)
12. Mark Schutte (Cuala)

13. David O’Callaghan (Ballyboden St Enda’s)
14. Liam Rushe (St Pat’s, Palmerstown)
15. David Treacy (Cuala)

TEAM NEWS: Two personnel changes to the Cork starting XV — William Kearney and Bill Cooper both start — and a handful of positional switches as well.

Here’s how we think the Rebels will line out:

Cork

1. Anthony Nash (Kanturk)

2. Shane O’Neill (Bishopstown)
3. Damien Cahalane (St. Finbarrs)
19. William Kearney (Sarsfields)

5. Lorcán McLoughlin (Kanturk)
9. Aidan Walsh (Kanturk)
4. Stephen McDonnell (Glen Rovers)

8. Daniel Kearney (Sarsfields)
12. Rob O’Shea (Carrigaline)

10. Conor Lehane (Midleton)
11. Seamus Harnedy (St. Ita’s)
22. Bill Cooper (Youghal)

13. Alan Cadogan (Douglas)
14. Luke O’Farrell (Midleton)
15. Patrick Horgan (Glen Rovers)

A couple of late additions to the Cork bench as well — Aidan Ryan (Midleton), Brian O’Sullivan (Fermoy) and Jamie Coughlan (Newtownshandrum) are all among the subs.

Cork boss Jimmy Barry-Murphy arrives in Nowlan Park Cathal Noonan / INPHO Cathal Noonan / INPHO / INPHO

If you’re looking for some pre-match reading, here are Jackie Cahill’s talking points ahead of this first semi.

It was very much advantage JBM when Cork and Dublin met in March, as the Rebels scored an emphatic eleven-point victory in a strange Croke Park clash.

There might not be much love lost between the former Cork teammates but a healthy respect remains between the pair nonetheless.

And as proven winners, both will be desperate to push on to a League semi-final in the biggest clash between the counties since the 2013 All-Ireland semi-final.

Dublin won’t need much motivation after losing heavily to Cork already and you can be certain that Cunningham will absorbed the sobering lessons from that mismatch.

And a little bit on the German and Kilkenny connection behind one of Dublin’s form forwards:

Schutte has fired 1-10 in his last two games, including a brilliant 1-5 from play in the quarter-final win over Limerick three weeks ago.

Dublin have badly needed that kind of firepower, and it has come from a man whose family tree suggests he might be better served at the other end of the pitch.

His brother Paul, also on Ger Cunningham’s panel, is a defender as are both of his Kilkenny cousins, captain Joey Holden and the recently retired Brian Hogan.

Late change for the Dubs: Paul Ryan starts in place of the injured Danny Sutcliffe.

We’re underway in the first semi.

Luke O’Farrell charges towards the Dublin goal but he runs straight into Gary Maguire and is crowded out.

Cork 0-1 Dublin 0-0: Conor Lehane gets Cork up and running, pointing from the right.

GOAL FOR DUBLIN! Dublin 1-0 Cork 0-1 What a start — and it’s Dublin’s form forward Mark Schutte who rifles in the game’s first goal inside two minutes. Nash had no chance.

Conor Lehane looks like he will be a bit of handful for Conal Keaney. He gets the jump on his marker and turns, but sends the shot wide.

Dublin 1-2 Cork 0-1: Keaney points for Dublin, and then Liam Rushe is in acres of space to tap another one over.

Dublin 1-2 Cork 0-2: Seamus Harney finds space out on the left and points from a tight angle.

Half a chance for Cork as Alan Cadogan gets Peter Kelly turned but Maguire is able to block Bill Cooper’s shot.

Dublin 1-4 Cork 0-2: McCaffrey points, and then David Treacy gets his first of the afternoon. Dublin lead by five.

Dublin 1-5 Cork 0-2: Make that six actually as Paul Ryan converts a big free.

Dublin 1-6 Cork 0-3: Harnedy comes in off the left wing to point, but Johnny McCaffrey responds immediately for the Dubs at the other end. Cracking start to this first semi.

Dublin 1-7 Cork 0-3: Another for David Treacy. Cork need to be careful that they don’t let the Dubs too far ahead.

Break in play here as Seamus Harnedy is treated following an aerial collision.

Dublin 1-8 Cork 0-3: Play resumes with a Dublin free and Paul Ryan points from his own half. It was over from the moment it left his stick.

Dublin do well to frustrate the Cork in attack and eventually, Chris Crummey gathers the loose ball and bursts clear. He tries his luck from distance but it’s wide.

Dublin 1-9 Cork 0-3: This one’s got Schutte written all over it. Paul beats Alan Cadogan to the ball at the back, and as play breaks down the other end, Mark points.

GOAL FOR DUBLIN! Dublin 2-9 Cork 0-3 Oh, that’s a beauty from Dotsy O’Callaghan. He puts the ball on the end of his hurl and races at the Cork defence, spinning away from a tackle before finishing into the bottom corner past a diving Nash.

Dublin are 12 up here — and we haven’t even played 20 minutes!

Dublin 2-9 Cork 0-4: Horgan points a free for Cork.

Dublin 2-9 Cork 0-5: Horgan points another free

Dublin 2-9 Cork 0-6: Cian O’Callaghan is penalised for dragging Horgan, and the man himself points.

Dublin 2-10 Cork 0-6: Ryan restores Dublin’s 10-point margin with a free

Dublin 2-10 Cork 0-7: A Cork effort falls short but as Dublin try to play it out from the back, Shane Durkin gives it straight to Luke O’Farrell. He doesn’t need to be asked twice.

Horgan has a great opportunity to cut the gap even further but, uncharacteristically, he sends it wide.

Dublin 2-11 Cork 0-8: O’Callaghan points for Dublin but from the puck-out, Cork attack, Cadogan beats Keaney and slots one.

WHAT A CHANCE! Damien Cahalane slips and Mark Schutte has a glorious opportunity for Dublin’s third goal. He hits the target but Nash saves — and then again as David Treacy followed up on the rebound.

Dublin 2-12 Cork 0-9: Horgan knocks over a 65, but Keaney gets one back immediately for the Dubs.

Dublin 2-13 Cork 0-10: Lehane sends over a lovely score for Cork.

The Rebels have a great goal chance then as Horgan gets the turn on Cian O’Callaghan. He tries to play it back across the face of the Dublin goal for a tap-in but Peter Kelly intercepts and clears to Ryan, who points.

Frantic stuff.

Dublin 2-14 Cork 0-10: Dotsy O’Callaghan points for midfield and the Dubs lead by 10 again as we approach the break.

There’ll be two additional minutes.

Dublin 2-14 Cork 0-11: Some strike by Horgan. That free was from his own 65 line, and it had the legs to go a bit further.

Dublin 2-15 Cork 0-11: Liam Rushe’s name will go on the scoresheet for that one but credit to both Ryan O’Dwyer and David Treacy for some serious grafting in the build-up.

Dublin 2-15 Cork 0-12 Horgan points a free, leaving the gap at nine at the break.

What a half by the Dubs — they’ve had a bit of a breeze at their back but they’ve also been hurling the better as well.

We’re back underway here. Can Cork make a game of this?

Dublin 2-16 Cork 0-13: Mark Schutte opens the second-half scoring but Horgan responds instantly with a free.

Mark Schutte bears down on the Cork goal in search of his second of the afternoon but he’s under a lot of pressure and eventually kicks his shot wide.

Dublin 2-17 Cork 0-14: Schutte roasts Damien Cahalane again and scores — the Cork full-back is having a horrible afternoon out there.

Horgan cancels it out with a free at the other end.

Dublin 2-17 Cork 0-15: Chris Crummey is penalised for dragging Seamus Harnedy back in midfield. Horgan slots the free from 65 metres.

Very unlucky by Seamus Harnedy who pounces on possession following some good fielding by Aidan Walsh. His shot in on line but Maguire plucks it out of the air just as it’s about to go over the bar.

Dublin 2-17 Cork 0-16: WHAT A SAVE! Horgan skins Cian O’Callaghan and fires in a shot. Maguire just gets enough of his hurl on it to make sure it goes over, rather than under, the bar.

Dublin 2-17 Cork 0-17: Another Cork free — that’s four unanswered for Horgan in the last few minutes and Cork are right back in this with more than 20 minutes to play.

Dublin 2-18 Cork 0-17: That might help steady the ship a bit for Dublin. Some great battling for possession in midfield and Paul Ryan points.

Dublin 2-19 Cork 0-18: Another for Ryan to push the gap back out to eight, but Horgan is having a sensational start to this half, and he points again.

Dublin 2-19 Cork 0-19: Another Horgan free. He’s not missing many and this indiscipline might cost the Dubs.

Bad wide by David Treacy there — he had time and space to pick his shot.

Another Dublin wide — to Dotsy O’Callaghan’s credit, he did brilliantly to bustle his way into position while holding on to possession but he couldn’t get his shot away cleanly.

Dublin 2-19 Cork 0-20: That’s a “black card foul” if ever I saw one. Niall McMorrow hauls down Daniel Kearney, happy to give away the free rather than risk the shot on goal. Horgan points.

Dublin 2-20 Cork 0-21: Aidan Walsh sends over a long-range point and wheels away in celebration after cutting the gap to four. Cork certainly believe!

Dublin badly need a score and it comes from the sub Ben Quinn. Five in it, a little more than 10 minutes to play… and now seems like a good time to remind you that there will be extra-time if we’re level after 70.

Dublin 2-21 Cork 0-21: Ryan converts a free to make it two on the bounce for Dublin, and they can breathe a tiny bit easier for a moment.

Dublin 2-22 Cork 0-22: Rushe and Lehane exchange points at either end in the space of 20 seconds. Still six in it.

Dublin are starting to rack up the wides now – Ryan and Schutte both miss.

GOAL FOR CORK! Dublin 2-22 Cork 1-22

Dublin 2-23 Cork 1-22: Dotsy points. Dublin needed that.

CHANCE! Cork sub Anthony Spillane is on on goal but Peter Kelly does just enough to stop him.

It’ll be a 65…

Dublin 2-23 Cork 1-23: Horgan points it. Three-point game, three minutes left.

Dublin 2-23 Cork 1-24: Horgan points. Two in it.

Dublin 2-23 Cork 1-25: ME NERVES! Seamus Harnedy is fouled in midfield and Horgan points. Only a point in it.

There’ll be two additional minutes. Cork in possession.

Dublin 2-23 Cork 1-26: Lehane points – ALL SQUARE!

We’re into those additional minutes now. This is breathtaking stuff. Surely one score wins it now…

Cork 1-27 Dublin 2-23: HARNEDY!

Cork 1-27 Dublin 2-23

What a ridiculous, remarkable game. Dublin lead by 12 at one stage, and still by as many as six inside the final 10 minutes, but just couldn’t hold off the red tide. Superb comeback by Cork who simply never gave up.