Weekend Previews: 'After all' Cork have been through coming unstuck now would be unforgivable
All-Ireland Senior Hurling semi-final
Dublin v Cork
Croke Park, 5pm (J. Murphy)
RTÉ2
The collision of the capitals, the skirmish of the speedsters. We're in for a semi-final played at a breakneck pace and possibly something that will arrest some of the attention away from a thrilling football championship.
There was no question the arrival of the Dublin football fans for the second half of the quarter-final aided the hurlers.
'I definitely noticed that there was a great energy in Croker,' said midfielder Conor Burke. 'The energy grew throughout the game, obviously as we gave the crowd something to kind of cheer about and get behind as well.'
Dublin will bring able support to Croke Park but it will be dwarfed by what Cork will attract and that could play a telling part. Niall O'Leary recently spoke about how they draw more from their handsome following that they will ever know.
In this game, especially when Dublin have had two outings since Cork's last, they will be needed in the early exchanges.
Dublin had no time to mourn Chris Crummey's absence in the quarter-final. Now they do and he is going to be missed a lot more here.
At least Conor Donohoe is available and John Hetherton will be a handful for Eoin Downey whenever he is introduced but at the other square Brian Hayes is in such form that Paddy Smyth, as much as he shackled Aaron Gillane, should be busy.
Cork have been warned that complacency has no place here but there should be no question of their hunger or their legs for battle.
Dublin's Brian and Ronan Hayes are capable of show them as many clean pair of heels as Shane Barrett and Darragh Fitzgibbon but Cork have pace as back-up too in Messrs Kingston and O'Flynn.
So it will be 'After All' or 'This Is' at the final whistle? After all Cork have been through, to come unstuck now would be unforgivable.
Verdict: Cork.
TG4 All-Ireland senior ladies football quarter-finals
Dublin v Cork
Parnell Park, 1.15pm (B. Rice, Down)
Live TG4.
This is where Dublin usually pull up the bootstraps but Waterford demonstrated that they might not have the aura of old. Losing to Kerry was no great shame for Cork but Dublin will be expected to make the Donnycarney factor count.
Verdict: Dublin.
Galway v Waterford
Tuam Stadium, 3.15pm (J. Murphy, Carlow)
Live TG4.
Only score difference kept Waterford off the top of their group and Galway have to be wary of this one. As good as they looked in heading Group 1 and as determined as they seem to make up for last year, Waterford have to be truly respected.
Verdict: Galway.
Kerry v Kildare
Austin Stack Park, 7.30pm (K. Phelan, Laois)
Live TG4.
It's been plain sailing for the All-Ireland champions thus far but they could with a test and Kildare at least for a good portion of this game should be able to give them one. Danielle O'Leary and Siofra O'Shea are in mean form.
Verdict: Kerry.
TG4 All-Ireland senior ladies football relegation play-offs.
Donegal v Armagh
Stewartstown Harps, 2pm (A. Marron, Monaghan).
Neither team would have been expected to be in this predicament. Armagh's goal threat to save their blushes.
Verdict: Armagh.
Mayo v Leitrim
Kilcoyne Park, Tubbercurry, 2pm (G. Chapman, Sligo).
Mayo find themselves in this situation once more and they should be able to get themselves out of bother.
Verdict: Mayo.
Glen Dimplex All-Ireland senior camogie quarter-final
Clare v Waterford
Croke Park, 2.30pm (L. Dempsey, Kilkenny)
Live RTÉ2.
Great exposure for two solid sides as the curtain-raiser to the Cork-Dublin All-Ireland SHC semi-final. Clare won just one of their group matches but then only lose one.
On their side, Waterford beat all but table-toppers Galway and they appear more likely to make the most of their return to GAA HQ two years after a final appearance.
Verdict: Waterford.
Glen Dimplex All-Ireland senior camogie relegation play-off
Derry v Wexford
Darver, 2pm (B. Nea, Westmeath).
The manner of these counties's defeats should suggest a restructuring of the championship. There are two too many teams in the senior level.
Wexford may just stave off the drop.
Verdict: Wexford.
SUNDAY
All-Ireland Senior Hurling semi-final
Tipperary v Kilkenny
Croke Park, 4pm (J. Owens)
RTÉ2
One more mention of 'bonus territory' and Liam Cahill and Tipperary might take offence. That's if they haven't already. Reaching Croke Park would have been an aspiration of theirs but an All-Ireland semi-final the final destination? Unlikely. This is Tipp, after all.
For that very reason, they are a dangerous opponent for Kilkenny on Sunday. It's not just that they are looking for a fifth consecutive championship win – the same total as The Cats – or they have tuned in nicely against Laois and Galway since the Leinster final. It's that they are not fancied.
Against almost any other opposition, Kilkenny wouldn't have minded the favourites's tag or the four-week break but both have to be heeded carefully when they tackle a Tipperary team full of gusto and their supporters back on side.
Kilkenny will want to cool the neighbours's jets early and it will be the seasoned men who can do most of the water-carrying. Sunday marks TJ Reid and Eoin Murphy's eighth All-Ireland semi-final since their last All-Ireland medal 10 years ago, winning four of the previous seven. Not one of their prettiest records.
Others like Paddy Deegan, John Donnelly, Martin Keoghan and Billy Ryan have been burnt too. They have to go back to the league of 2019 for the last time they savoured any sort of a win over Tipperary.
Where there are genuine questions about the depth of the Kilkenny panel, Tipperary's concerns are their unsettled midfield and being cut open a bit too readily. They might not be ready yet if this turns out to be a shoot-out.
The least Kilkenny should bring here is a demented drive to match the intensity Tipperary will surely produce. Do that and their experience of the venue – 15 appearances to Tipperary's none since 2019 – will swing it. Verdict: Kilkenny.
Electric Ireland All-Ireland MFC final
Kerry v Tyrone
Cedral St Conleth's Park, 1.30pm (T. Murphy, Galway)
Live TG4.
Will he, won't he? The uncertainly around Joel Kerr's availability for this game is not what Tyrone would have wanted as they look to keep their dreams of completing an All-Ireland hat-trick alive.
With him, Tyrone are most definitely stronger but without him and it will demand more of the collective.
David Sargent and John Curtin are among the leaders for Kerry and if they win their respective battles down the middle then this could be a rare Kingdom win in a final against Tyrone.
The young Red Handers have over twice the amount of football that Kerry have thus far this year and that readiness could count.
Verdict: Tyrone.
TG4 All-Ireland senior ladies football quarter-final
Meath v Tipperary
Páirc Tailteann, 5.15pm (S. Curley, Galway)
Live TG4.
Meath have been sticking at the back but haven't been scoring enough to suggest they can go all the way. Tipperary themselves have been too shy in front of goal too but the former winners can advance.
Verdict: Meath.
Glen Dimplex All-Ireland senior camogie quarter-final
Tipperary v Kilkenny
Croke Park, 1.30pm (R. Kelly, Kildare)
Live RTÉ2.
What a billing for this quarter-final even if both would prefer to be straight through to the semi-final stages, of course. Kilkenny's form has been iffy and in these widen open spaces Tipperary, who only lost to Cork in their four group games and scored for fun, could capitalise on that doubt.
Verdict: Tipperary.
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Tommy O'Brien scores twice on debut as Ireland record scrappy win in Georgia
Georgia 5 Ireland 34 A NEW-LOOK Ireland team recorded a four-try, 29-point win over Georgia but there was plenty of frustration across an often scrappy affair in Tbilisi. Leinster's Tommy O'Brien scored two tries on his Ireland debut, with Connacht lock Darragh Murray also winning his first cap in the starting XV. In the second half, Michael Milne, Jack Aungier, Tom Ahern and Ben Murphy all came in to take the total number of new caps to six. O'Brien's two tries arrived in the opening seven minutes, with scrum-half Craig Casey scoring the third in the opening minute of the second half. Paul O'Connell's side added a fourth through Ulster's Nick Timoney, but overall will be disappointed with some of their attacking play, which lacked accuracy and fluency. Playing conditions were difficult at the 27,000-capacity Mikheil Meskhi Stadium, with heavy rain a factor in some of Ireland's handling errors. Ireland also had struggles at the scrum as Georgia got the upper hand in the first half. Ireland's Michael Milne and Tom Ahern. Ben Brady / INPHO Ben Brady / INPHO / INPHO Sam Prendergast added 14 points off the boot, Casey enjoyed some fine moments on his first outing as Ireland captain, while Ryan Baird carried his strong end of season form into the Test series with a commanding display. Ireland enjoyed a dream start, O'Brien bagging his first Test try just 95 seconds into his debut. Through a series of good, hard carries, with Jamie Osborne centrally involved, Ireland pushed up the pitch before Prendergast chipped over the top for his Leinster teammate to collect and score, with the out-half then tapping over a straight-forward conversion. O'Brien was celebrating his second try just six minutes later. At the game's first scrum, Ireland's all-Leinster front row of Jack Boyle, Gus McCarthy and Thomas Clarkson held firm as the visitors won a penalty. Playing with advantage, Prendergast swung a sharp pass wide to O'Brien, who darted over. Prendergast stepped up and made it two from two off the tee. Georgia began to grow into the game and came close to a try approaching the 15-minute mark. Richard Cockerill's men stretched Ireland with short, sharp passing before a lovely step and pass from La Rochelle-bound fullback Davit Niniashvili opened some space. Aka Tabutsadze took on Osborne, who made a good tackle effort as the winger tried to twist over the line, dropping the ball in the process. A TMO check confirmed no try. With the rain pelting down the error count began to rise. Boyle conceded a scrum penalty and as Georgia celebrated, hooker Vano Karkadze clashed with Cormac Izuchukwu. Karkadze received a warning for his troubles and the penalty was reversed, allowing Prendergast kick to the corner. Ireland's Jack Boyle and Ryan Baird at the scrum. Ben Brady / INPHO Ben Brady / INPHO / INPHO Baird rose to win the lineout and Ireland mauled, but Georgia dug in to win the ball back through Giorgi Akhaladze. Ireland continued to attack and Prendergast came close to adding a third try. After Ireland turned the ball over at the scrum they moved the ball left to right. Jimmy O'Brien stepped a defender but his pass dropped short. Tommy O'Brien reacted well to flick the ball to Prendergast, who had the corner in his sights. The out-half dove for the corner and got the ball down, but a TMO review confirmed his foot was in touch. Advertisement The game grew increasingly scrappy as Ireland began to have real problems against a powerful Georgia scrum, conceding another penalty at the setpiece which came shortly after McCarthy was pinged for a crooked throw at the lineout. Minutes later the packs scrummed down again but Ireland engaged too early, the outcome penalty Georgia. Towards the end of the half O'Connell was forced to make an early change, Ulster winger Jacob Stockdale, who had looked sharp in possession, leaving the action with an arm/shoulder injury as Calvin Nash came on. Ireland's problems piled up with a dominant Georgia scrum getting another big shove to win a penalty, without taking advantage in the Ireland half. A trip to the Georgia 22 brought more sloppy play. From a lineout Ireland attacked but looked slow and one-dimensional, with Georgia turning the ball over after Stuart McCloskey carried into contact. Ireland's Darragh Murray tackled by Georgia's Vano Karkadze. Ben Brady / INPHO Ben Brady / INPHO / INPHO Georgia finally got on the scoreboard with the final play of the half. The home side won a penalty and went for the corner through a good kick from out-half Luka Matkava. Flanker Beka Saginadze claimed the lineout throw at the tail and Georgia mauled, winning a penalty courtesy of Baird. This time Georgia threw to the middle and smartly popped the ball back to the front, allowing number eight Tornike Jalagonia rumble over through Gavin Coombes. The hosts couldn't convert but had cut Ireland's lead to nine points at the break. It would be their only score of the game. Ireland made another quick start to the second half, scoring a blistering try after the restart. After Georgia couldn't reclaim possession from a kick, Coombes came away with possession and passed wide to his Munster teammate Calvin Nash. Nash broke with pace down the wing and played the ball inside to Baird, who added ground and was patient under pressure before offloading to Casey, the scrum-half running through unchallenged. Prendergast converted and Ireland looked in full control again. Prendergast followed with a penalty, Ireland clocking up 10 points in the opening five minutes of the second half. Craig Casey celebrates his try. Ben Brady / INPHO Ben Brady / INPHO / INPHO Georgia tried to find a way back as Karkadze burst through a maul, but he lost the ball forward under great pressure from Coombes. With both sides struggling to piece any meaningful passages of play together, around the hour mark a penalty allowed Prendergast go for the posts to extend Ireland's lead. Ireland's fourth try arrived in the 70th minute, Timoney registering his fourth try across four caps. After Ireland moved the ball across the Georgia defence without breaking through, despite excellent play from the two O'Briens, Prendergast kicked wide to Timoney, who impressively muscled between two defenders and got the ball down. Prendergast again nailed the conversion, the kick his last action of the night as Jack Crowley came in for the final 10 minutes. In the closing minutes McCloskey was yellow-carded for not retreating, but Georgia's final attack was quashed through a big turnover from Max Deegan. Ireland's summer tour continues against Portugal in Lisbon next Saturday, where O'Connell will hope to see a more cohesive team performance. Georgia scorers: Try – Jalagonia Conversion – Matkava [0/1] Ireland scorers: Tries – O'Brien [2], Casey, Timoney Penalties – Prendergast [2/2] Conversions – Prendergast [4/4] GEORGIA: Davit Niniashvili; Aka Tabutsadze, Demur Tapladze (Tornike Kakhoidze, 61), Giorgi Kveseladze, Sandro Todua; Luka Matkava, Vasil Lobzhanidze; Giorgi Akhaladze (Giorgi Tetrashvili, 54), Vano Karkadze (Irakli Kvatadze, 54), Irakli Aptsiauri (Beka Gigashvili, 54); Mikheil Babunashvili, Lado Chachanidze; Luka Ivanishvili (Guram Ganiashvil, 78), Beka Saginadze, Tornike Jalagonia (Ilia Spanderashvili, 54). IRELAND: Jimmy O'Brien; Tommy O'Brien, Jamie Osborne, Stuart McCloskey, Jacob Stockdale (Calvin Nash, 37); Sam Prendergast, Craig Casey; Jack Boyle (Michael Milne, 59), Gus McCarthy (Tom Stewart, 59), Thomas Clarkson (Jack Aungier, 69); Cormac Izuchukwu, Darragh Murray; Ryan Baird, Nick Timoney, Gavin Coombes (Max Deegan, 65). Yellow card: McCloskey, 77. Referee: Andrea Piardi.
