Hurling round-up: Munster champions Tipperary opened their All-Ireland campaign by condemning Cork to another year spent negotiating the qualifier minefield with a deserved, if occasionally fraught, 1-19 to 0-19 win. Elsewhere, there were Leinster wins for Galway and Wexford this weekend.
Neither Cork or Tipperary were able to gain any significant advantage during a nip-and-tuck first half at Semple Stadium but Kevin Sheedy’s side final put some daylight between the sides with a Seamus Callanan's goal early in the second half that put Tipp seven points clear.
Cork, however, fought back to within a point and also had to the agony of seeing a Kieran Murphy repelled by Brendan Cummins.
Cork actually had the ball in the net but Barry Kelly’s whistle had already sounded and Murphy’s penalty was hit straight at the Tipperary goalkeeper.
Cork must now regroup and prepare for the grueling and unpredictable qualifying campaign. Tipp, on the other hand, advance to the Munster semi-finals where Clare will be seeking revenge for their defeat in last year’s decider.
Meanwhile, a rampant Galway savoured their first taste of the Leinster championship with a 5-29 to 0-17 rout of Laois at O’Moore Park.
John McIntyre’s side were head and shoulders above Laois but the home side hardly helped their own cause by having two men sent off before the interval.
First, James Young was given his marching orders along with Galway’s Kevin Hayes following an unseemly flashpoint before Mick McEvoy joined them having been shown a second yellow card.
Unsurprisingly, Joe Canning prospered against the Laois defence and he was ably supported by Niall Hayes who finished the day with a hat-trick of goals.
Wexford also advanced to the semi-finals of Leinster following a morale boosting 2-17 to 0-16 win over Offaly at Wexford Park on Saturday evening.
Colm Bonnar's side ran out seven point winners but were unable to shake off a dogged Offaly until the closing stages.
Man-of-the-match Stephen Banville scored both of Wexford’s goals, finishing with a personal tally of 2-2, but Offaly will rue a missed from Shane Dooley penalty early in the second half.
Had Dooley converted there could have been a different outcome. Instead, Wexford were able to stretch their lead to six points and despite Joe Dooley’s men hanging in there, the Slaneysiders killed off the tie with Banville’s second goal minutes from time.
GAA Fixtures / Results
Saturday
Leinster hurling championship quarter-final
Wexford 2-17 Offaly 0-16 (Wexford Park, 7pm)
Ulster hurling championship quarter-finals
Derry 4-10 London 3-12 (Casement Park, 5.15pm)
Down 5-20 Armagh 0-13 (Casement Park, 7pm)
Ulster minor football championship
Down 1-11 Cavan 2-7 (Athletic Grounds, 2pm)
Sunday
Connacht football championship first round
Leitrim 2-9 Roscommon 2-13 (Carrick-on-Shannon, 3.30pm)
Ulster football championship quarter-final
Tyrone 2-10 Armagh 1-10 (Clones 2pm)
Ulster minor football championship quarter-final
Armagh 2-8 Tyrone 1-9 (Clones, 12.15pm)
Leinster hurling championship quarter-final
Laois 0-17 Galway 5-29 (Portlaoise, 3.30pm)
Munster hurling championship quarter-final
Tipperary 1-19 Cork 0-19 (Semple Stadium, 4pm)