FORMER BANNER ALL-IRELAND winning teammates Davy Fitzgerald and Anthony Daly will be in managerial opposition to each other after Clare and Dublin were pitted together in this morning’s draw for phase two of the All-Ireland senior hurling qualifiers.
Clare, knocked out of the Munster championship last week by Waterford, will crucially have home advantage on Saturday week July 7th for a clash against a Dublin side who will be trying to bounce back from the huge disappointment of Saturday’s defeat in the Leinster semi-final against Kilkenny. The counties last met in the qualifiers two years ago with Dublin convincing winners by 2-22 to 0-15 in that game in Croke Park.
The other phase two qualifier will see Cork in opposition to Offaly with Jimmy Barry-Murphy’s men having the advantage of home venue for this tie. Cork, narrowly beaten in yesterday’s Munster semi-final by Tipperary, will be renewing acquaintances with an Offaly team, who were ousted by Galway in the Leinster semi-final, that they faced in the qualifiers last year. On that occasion Cork prevailed by a slender margin, 2-17 to 2-16.
The draw took place this morning on RTE Radio’s Morning Ireland programme and was conducted by GAA President Liam O’Neill and Wexford attacker Diarmuid Lyng. The times and venues for the two matches will be confirmed later but it is likely that Cusack Park in Ennis will stage the Clare and Dublin game with Páirc Uí Chaoimh in line to host the battle between Cork and Offaly.
Looking forward to this game. Two outstanding gaelic football counties playing one another. Hopefully it will be a great game with two talented teams just playing high quality, skilful football without any cynical or dirty fouls or anything like that.
Would love to know where this rumour came from!? Absolute rubbish. He’ll be there to lead the lads out Sunday week. Should be a great game.