Saturday’s fixtures
Leinster SHC: Dublin 3-16 Galway 0-21 (FT)
Kilkenny 4-25 Kildare 0-14 (FT)
Offaly 2-21 Wexford 2-15 (FT)
Munster SHC: Clare 1-25 Tipperary 0-17 (FT)
Tailteann Cup, Round One: Down 1-27 Leitrim 0-16 (FT)
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Clare v Tipperary report from Denis Walsh
Kilkenny v Kildare report from Paul Keane
Galway v Dublin report from John Fallon
Denis Walsh in Thurles...
“After a thumping win Clare’s season is back on track and they are guaranteed now to qualify from Munster with one game to spare. They weren’t flattered by a 1-25 to 0-17 win over a Tipperary team who were a pale shadow of the outfit who carried all before them in the closing weeks of last season.
“Éibhear Quilligan made a brilliant save from John McGrath early in the second half when the game was still alive, but Clare were nine points clear when Willie Connors was sent off after 51 minutes. After that it was no contest.
“A draw in the Gaelic Grounds tomorrow would keep Tipp’s season alive for another week, but that is a long shot.”
Full-time: It all petered out in the end. When Quilligan made that brilliant save from John McGrath in the 41st minute, it kept the margin at seven rather than four. All the fight went out of Tipp from there on. Huge result for both teams. Clare are guaranteed to get out of Munster. But it’s out of Tipp’s hands now. Clare 1-25 Tipperary 0-17
69 mins: Stritch has been named man of the match and deservedly so. He scored six points from seven shots. Or as the child in your house will delight in screaming at you, six-sevvvvvvvennnn... Duggan finally scores from play and the lead is 13 again. Clare 1-25 Tipperary 0-15
66 mins: A mad summer shower is walloping Thurles just now, clearing the terraces and making the Tipp players wish even more for the end to arrive. Conor Stakelum chips in with a point from the sideline, John McGrath pucks a late free wide. This is done. Clare 1-23 Tipperary 0-14
61 mins: Clare have been exceptional but Tipp have made this very easy for them. The red card means that Clare always have an extra defender in the full-back line, yet Tipp keep sending long balls in there, nasically hoping for a break. The crowd are leaving now, as Duggan pulls a free wide. Clare have 14 wides, Tipp only have three. Tipp have only take 18 shots in an hour of hurling. That tells you the balance of the game. Clare 1-23 Tipp 0-13
59 mins: Duggan repeats the trick with another pointed sideline. Double scores now. Clare 1-23 Tipperary 0-13
57 mins: Noel McGrath is on but this looks like a lost cause for Tipperary. They trail by 12 and unless something inane happens over the last quarter of an hour, they will be relying on waterford to beat Limerick tomorrow to keep them alive. Clare 1-22 Tipperary 0-13
54 mins: Stritch is having the game of his young life here. That’s his sixth. Tipp look demoralised. Clare 1-21 Tipperary 0-13
50 mins: RED CARD for Tipperary! Willie Collins was already on a yellow and that’s a second one for something that happened off-the-ball. That’s a killer blow for Tipp.
49 mins: Morris settles Tipp with a long-range point. Eoghan Connolly strides forward to spear one of his own. Two quick scores and the Tipp crowd are finding their voice. Clare 1-19 Tipperary 0-13
48 mins: Ah that’s class from Peter Duggan. He splits the post with a sideline ball into the wind. That’s an 11-point lead. Clare 1-19 Tipperary 0-11
46 mins: Kelly lands a massive free into the wind. O’Farrell follows up from midfield topush the lead to 10. This is getting away from the All-Ireland champions. Clare 1-18 Tipperary 0-11
44 mins: Clare’s young guns are firing. Niall O’Farrell came steaming out of defence before feeding Sean Rynne and that’s Clare’s eight-point lead restored. Tipp are going to need goals, you feel. Clare 1-16 Tipperary 0-11
41 mins: What a save! And what a shot! John McGrath pulled first time on a ball from 20 metres out and Eibhear Quilligan threw himself in front of it to keep it out. Brilliant hurling from them both. Clare 1-15 Tipperary 0-11
39 mins: Good response from Tipp. McCarthy with a free, Jake Morris with a lovely score from distance. But Diarmuid Stritch is having a massive game - that’s his fifth from play. Cracking game. Clare lead by eight. Clare 1-15 Tipperary 0-10
36 mins: GOAL for Clare! Ian Galvin latches onto scraps in the Tipp full-back line and bears down on Shelly, batting it past him on the run. Huge score. Clare 1-14 Tipperary 0-9
Back in action in Thurles. Here are the first half highlights...
Denis Walsh writes from Thurles...
“Clare lead Tipperary by six points at half-time, 0-14 to 0-8, but it doesn’t reflect their first half dominance and they may regret not making more use of the strong wind at the backs.
“With the outstanding Diarmuid Stritch scoring four points on his first championship start, Clare scored eight unanswered points in the middle of the half. But that was followed by a bunch of careless wides and a couple of unrealised goal chances.
“Tipp got the last two points of the half from frees, and having been hurled up a stick for much of the half they’re within touching distance now. ”
Ian O’Riordan writes from Tullamore...
“Offaly have kept alive their chances of a top-three finish in Leinster with a typically spirited fightback against Wexford, turning a five-point deficit at half-time into a six-point victory. And a fully deserving one at that.
“With the wind advantage, Offaly started breaking down the Wexford defence with increasing confidence too, the turning point coming in the 49th minute when Conor Foley was black-carded for a foul on Brian Duignan, referee Sean Stack awarding a penalty too – which Eoghan Cahill cooly converted.
“Foley was red-cared too, given he’d already been booked, so Wexford were down to 14 men for the last 20 minutes. Locked in a scoreless battle for the next nine minutes, Offaly then got another break when David Clarke fumbled the ball close to goal, allowing Cahill to bounce and pass off to Adam Screeney, who promptly rifled the net.
“Wexford never recovered from that, Offaly hitting the last three points without replay for the victory, delighting the home crowd in the process – a first win over Wexford in the Leinster championship since 2012.”
Half-time: Two late frees from McCarthy leave six between the sides at the break. That will feel like a decent bit of work late on from Tipp, who struggled for scores most of the way. They have the wind to come. Can they take advnatage of it? Clare 0-14 Tipperary 0-8
35 mins: Clare know they need a serious lead with this wind. Is eight points enough? John McGrath is fouled for Darragh McCarthy to cut it to seven. Clare 0-14 Tipperary 0-7
31 mins: Jason Forde ends that streak with a fine point from the left for Tipp. But Kelly hits back with another for Clare and there’s still six in it. Stritch has been exceptional for Clare on his first start in the championship. Clare 0-12 Tipperary 0-6
30 mins: Clare are pushing on in Thurles - that’s six points in a row for Brian Lohan’s side. Cathal Malone landed another bomb for the latest one, riding the wind from a good 80 metres. Tipp haven’t scored in 15 minutes. Clare 0-11 Tipperary 0-5
69 mins: Offaly have eased clear in Tulolamore, with scores from Duignan and Cahill. The extra man has made all the difference as time runs out for Wexford. Offaly 2-21 Wexford 2-15
24 mins: SAVE! Rhys Shelly gets down low to keep Peter Duggan’s shot at bay. It wasn’t the crispest strike you’ve ever seen but Shelly got a strong stick on it to defelct it away. More bad news for Clare with Mark Rodgers departing looking fairly shook. Tony Kelly nails the 65 and the visitors are three clear. Clare 0-8 Tipperary 0-5
67 mins: GOAL for Kilkenny. Eoin Cody this time. It turned into a turkey shoot in the second half. Kilkenny 4-22 Kildare 0-13
61 mins: GOAL for Wexford. Kevin Foley bundles in a lifeline for the visitors and boy did they need that. Conor hearne did trojan work and was probably going to egt a penalty but Foley put in the net and Wexford aren’t dead yet. Offaly 2-16 Wexford 2-14
60 mins: GOAL for Offaly. Screeney snapped up the scraps off a high ball in the Wexford defence and that’s a lead for the home side. They’re a goal up with a man advantage and 10 minutes to go with the wind behind them. They’ll surely see it out from here. Offaly 2-14 Wexford 1-14
60 mins: Kilkenny are stretching their legs now. Adrian Mullen pops up with a score - after all his injury troubles, that’s a welcome sight for Kilkenny fans. Kildare have fallen off the pace entirely. Kilkenny 3-19 Kildare 0-13
11 mins: A Tony Kelly special puts Clare one ahead in Thurles. It’s been a very niggly affair so far, with flash fires breaking out all over the pitch. Ronan Maher just got hit late as that Kelly shot was going over. Yellow card for Stritch. Clare 0-4 Tipperary 0-3
48 mins: RED CARD for Wexford! Conor Foley has given away a penalty and got his marching orders into the bargain. Eoghan Cahill nails the panelty and that’s a GOAL for Offaly. Huge chance for the home side now. Wexford 1-14 Offaly 1-13
49 mins: Another GOAL for Kilkenny, another goal from TJ Reid. A penalty this time and a black for Rian Boran. That’s surely Kilkenny out the gap. Kilkenny 3-15 Kildare 0-13
4 mins: After a day watching Leinster hurling, the early motions in Thurles are of a different stripe altogether. Forde swishes another stunning score to match Cathal Malon’es long-range effort for Clare. Cracking stuff already. Tipperary 0-2 Clare 0-2
2 mins: Underway in Thurles, Sean Rynne starts the scoring for Clare. But Jason Forde plants an immaculate sideline cut for Tipp to level it. Clare 0-1 Tipperary 0-1
40 mins: And a SECOND GOAL for Kilkenny, this time from young Harry Shine. So much for an upset, bang-bang goals and Kilkenny are suddenly seven clear. Kilkenny 2-13 Kildare 0-12
38 mins: GOAL for Kilkenny. TJ Reid nails it, digging Kilkenny out of trouble for the umpteenth time in his long career. Kilkenny 1-13 Kildare 0-12
Denis Walsh is in Thurles for Tipp v Clare...
“It is a bright and dry evening in Thurles for a game that will open and close doors for Tipperary and Clare. There’s a strong wind blowing towards the Town End though that is bound to influence the game.
“After their 15-point hammering by Limerick Clare have unsurprisingly made changes to the team they announced on Friday. John Conlon, David McInerney and Diarmuid Stritch will start in place of Conor Cleary, Rory Hayes and David Reidy. In the re-shuffled Darragh Lohan is likely to move from centre field to corner back.
“There are no changes to Tipp’s published line-up.”
Ian O’Riordan writes...
“Wexford have taken full advantage of the stiff breeze and their own bubbling enthusiasm to build a five-point advantage on Offaly in Tullamore, although in truth it could be more.
“With seven different scorers, including an excellent 1-2 from corner back Simon Donohoe, their 1-12 to 0-10 advantage has also impressed in parts. Despite hitting four wides in the first 10 minutes, Lee Chin and Simon Roche also dropping shots short, they edged in front 0-5 to 0-2 after 15 minutes, two frees from Chin helping build that cushion.
“Given a little too much space and comfort on the ball, Wexford started sniffing out goal chances, and Donohoe’s finish on 16 minutes, after he was left wide open on the right, was terrific, his rifling shot rocketing in off the far post.
“Offaly rallied a bit with the next two points, but Wexford were scoring with greater ease, and with more variety too, Ross Banville, Darragh Carley and Diarmuid O’Leary also getting in on the act at half-time. That five-point advantage certainly doesn’t flatter them, but Offaly will have that breeze from here.”
Twenty minutes to go before throw-in in Thurles. Here are the teams.
TIPPERARY:Rhys Shelly; Robert Doyle, Eoghan Connolly, Michael Breen; Craig Morgan, Ronan Maher, Bryan O’Mara; Willie Connors, Alan Tynan; Jake Morris, Andrew Ormond, Oisin O’Donoghue; Darragh McCarthy, John McGrath, Jason Forde.
CLARE:Éibhear Quilligan; John Conlon, David McInerney, Adam Hogan; Diarmuid Ryan, Niall O’Farrell, Cathal Malone; Darragh Lohan, Ryan Taylor; Shane O’Donnell, Peter Duggan, Sean Rynne; Diarmuid Stritch, Mark Rodgers, Tony Kelly.
Half-time: Kilkenny 0-11 Kildare 0-10. But a RED CARD for Cian Kenny leave the underdogs with a one-man advantage in the second half. Kenny picked up two yellow cards in the space of two minutes at the end of the half.
Half-time: Wexford 1-12 Offaly 0-10. Offaly have the wind to come but that’s a decent first half effort from Wexford.
Half-time: Down 0-12 Leitrim 0-8. Great finish to the half for Leitrim, as Killian Gaffney scores a two-point free to cut the gap to four.
34 mins: SAVE! Mark Fanning keeps the Wexford sheet clean as Screeney went through. The Offaly man knew he had an advantage though and Cahill ices the free. Wexford 1-11 Offaly 0-10
31 mins: Simon Roche gets on the board for Wexford but Cahill hits back with an Offaly free. Nip and tuck in Tullamore. The goal is a big score in a game like this. Adam Screeney went off for a blood injury but he’s back on now. A free from Lee Chin puts Wexford five up. Wexford 1-11 Offaly 0-9
28 mins: Kildare have levelled it! Gerry Keegan with the equalising score and Kilkenny are in a game here. Kilkenny 0-9 Kildare 0-9
28 mins: In Newry, Down are keeping Leitrim mostly at arm’s length. Miceal Rooney has popped their latest score to push them six ahead of the visitors. Down 0-11 Leitrim 0-5
25 mins: Kildare are putting it right up to Kilkenny in Nowlan Park. That’s three points in a row for the Lilywhites, from Jack Sheridan (a free), Darragh Melville and Cathal Dowling. They’ve been far from disgraced in any of their games. Kilkenny 0-8 Kildare 0-7
23 mins: Brian Duignan and Cahill hit back for Offaly but Conor Hearne adds to Wexford’s total and they’re building the kind of lead that the wind demands. Wexford 1-9 Offaly 0-6
20 mins: Liam Moore gets on the scoresheet for Kilkenny but it’s by no means a cakewalk for them against Kildare. They’re three up after 20 minutes. Kilkenny 0-6 Kildare 0-3
18 mins: Donoghue is nominally a corner back for Wexford but he’s getting on plenty of ball going forward and that’s another score for him, a point this time. Wexford 1-8 Offaly 0-4
15 mins: GOAL for Wexford! Simon Donoghue got in behind the Offaly defence and whipped a lovely finish. That’s a brilliant start for Wexford against an Offaly side that have made a nervy start at home. Wexford 1-6 Offaly 0-4
15 mins: In football, there’s on game in the Tailteann Cup and Down have skipped into a 0-7 to 0-3 lead against Leitrim in Newry. A brilliant two-pointer from Pat Havern puts clear water between the sides.
13 mins: Kilkenny are stretching their legs against Kildare, with points from David Blanchfield and Cian Kenny putting them three clear in Nowlan Park. Kilkenny 0-5 Kildare 0-2
Phew. What a finish. That game was bitty as hell for most of the way but Dublin will be delighted at how they closed it out. The other two Leinster games have just got under way and it’s even enough in the early skirmishes. Two points from Eoghan Cahill levels it for Offaly in Tullamore. Offaly 0-2 Wexford 0-2
FULL-TIME: Dublin win by four, as Cian O’Sullivan nicked a late point after the goal. What an impact from the bench by Hetherton and especially Ronan Hayes. That’s a huge result for Niall Ó Ceallacháin’s unbeaten side.
75 mins: THERE IS!! A goal for Dublin. Hetherton to Ronana Hayes to Brian Hayes and that’s that. What a finish for Dublin! Dublin 3-16 Galway 0-21
73 mins: An equaliser! Colm Molloy finds space in front of the posts and that’s the sides level. Is there one last chance for either side?
70 mins: Four minutes of stoppage time.
70 mins: Just one between them now in Salthill, as Cathal Mannion ices a handy free. This could come down to a refereeing call either way. Dublin 2-15 Galway 0-20
Meanwhile in Tullamore, Wexford are about to face off against Offaly. Our man Ian O’Riordan sends this dispatch from O’Connor Park.
“An overcast and showery evening in Tullamore for a pivotal round four fixture of the Leinster hurling championship, the winners between Offaly and Wexford staying in contention for a possible top-three finish entering next Sunday’s last round.
“There is one change to the Wexford team, Niall Murphy starting at wing back in place of Conor Foley, and manager Keith Rossiter knows all about the importance of winning this, as the losers could yet be looking over the relegation trapdoor.
“Both sides are on two points, Offaly drawing with Dublin and then Kilkenny last weekend, but are without their captain Charlie Mitchell, who required hospitalisation after feeling unwell in the aftermath of last weekend’s draw with Kilkenny
“Wexford have only scored two goals in their three games so far, and will likely need to improve on that to get of here with the desired result.”
66 mins: Galway have had to rob Peter to pay Paul here - Gaithí Burke is back on Hetherton, Pádraic Mannion is on Hayes. They’re hollowed out their half-back line to try and shore it up inside.
63 mins: Hayes is flying inside. He gets on onaother ball and it takes a couple of good blocks to keep him out. Burke ices the 65 and Dublin lead by two. Dublin 2-15 Galway 0-19
60 mins: GOAL! And so it proves. Hetherton takes a catch from a long ball by Gibbons and imediately finds Hayes. The Kilmacud man buries his finish. And then follows up with a point from out on the right! Dublin lead. Dublin 2-14 Galway 0-19
58 mins: Hetherton and Ronan Hayes both take incredible catches immediately upon their introduction. Hayes nicks a point, Hetherton is fouled for a free. That is clearly Dublin’s way back into the game. Galway 0-19 Dublin 1-13.
56 mins: What a score from Rabbitte, with his foot on the right sideline. Class from the youngster. Good game now. Galway 0-19 Dublin 1-12
54 mins: If Dublin can engineer shooting space, their accuracy is superior. Conor Donoghue lands one from midfield. But Neary hits back with a lovely one on an angle at the other end. Galway 0-18 Dublin 1-12
52 mins: Dublin have sprung John Hetherton from the bench. Can Dublin get the ball up to him? That’s a first point from play from Donal Burke, a super score from the left sideline. Galway have 14 wides, Dublin have two. But that’s a sweet finish from Monaghan. Galway 0-17 Dublin 1-10
50 mins: Dublin just can’t get the lead down to one at any stage here. They’ve got on the wrong side of the officlas too - the linesman on the stand side Johnny Murphy has called two frees against them and now Galway are four ahead. Galway 0-16 Dublin 1-9
44 mins: That’ll tell you the strength of the wind. Brian Hayes let loose from behind halfway and it sailed between the posts. Dublin need way more of that. Galway 0-13 Dublin 1-8
45 mins: More life in the game now. Monaghan whips a brilliant score in from a tight angle at one end, Purcell drives at the posts and wins a handy free for Burke to convert at the other. Galway 0-14 Dublin 1-9
42 mins: Dublin could do with this game opening out a bit. But so far, the second half is the same as the first - lots of botty exchanges, referee Colm Lyons having to throw the ball in plenty of the time. Burke plants another free but that’s a brilliant response from substitute Darragh Neary. Galway 0-13 Dublin 1-7
39 mins: Galway are showing huge patience into the wind, showing much better shot selection than in the first half. Whelan picks up his second of the day, with Cathal Mannion orchestrating from backl around midfield. Galway 0-12 Dublin 1-6
36 mins: Donal Burke gets Dublin underway witha free from halfway. That’s four from four for him. Galway 0-11 Dublin 1-9
36 mins: Back at it. No changes to either side.
Half-time: Cathal Mannion takes over from Niland to spear a 65 and that’s the half-time whistle. Galway lead by three but you’d imagine Dublin will be the happier side with the wind to come. Galway 0-11 Dublin 1-5
35 mins: Galway have pucked 11 wides. Dublin only have one. Niland has missed his last two frees. Scrappy stuff. Galway 0-10 Dublin 1-5
34 mins: SAVE! Fahy to the rescue again for Galway, as he gets down low to deflact a brilliant shot from David Purcell and Galway get it clear. That’s two fine saves from the Galway stopper.
31 mins: Soft free there against Liam Rushe. Ronan Glennon ran into himm, not much he could do to avoid contact but Colm Lyons gave the free against him. Niland nails his fifth of the day and Galway are ahead. Pádraic Mannion foolows up with the score fo the day from the right sideline. Better from the home side. Galway 0-10 Dublin 1-5
26 mins: Lovely score for Galway. Jason Rabbitte hasn’t been in this at all but that’s a gorgeous touch down to Monaghan, who whips it over from 30 metres out. But Dublin strike back with a Donal Burke free. Galway can’t build up any momentum here at all. Dublin 1-5 Galway 0-8
23 mins: Back to back points for Dublin, from Conal Ó Riain and Donal Burke (a free). Galway have lost their shape a bit and have five wides racked up already. Dublin 1-4 Galway 0-6
19 mins: Quality, quality score from Conor Whelan, his first of the day. Galway 0-6 Dublin 1-2
18 mins: A first point from play for Aaron Niland. Galway have responded well to the goal. Galway 0-5 Dublin 1-2
15 mins: That goal has sparked a bit of life into this game now. Donal Burke pots a free after a couple of rat-a-tat points at either end. Dublin 1-2 Galway 0-4
13 mins: GOAL! Ah, that’s a desperate mistake from Daithí Burke. From the 65, Donal Burke drilled the ball in and it was going over for a point, only for the Galway Burke to put up his hurley to try and stop it. He saved the point but deflected it into the net. Calamity. Galway 0-3 Dublin 1-0
12 mins: SAVE! Brian Hayes streaked away from Tom Monaghan and whipped it high at the near post, only for Galway goalkeeper Darach Fahy to get his hirl up to it and put out for a 65.
7 mins: Scrappy stuff so far. Wet weather, the usual Salthill wind, loads of bunching and rucking - choose you own poison. Niland taps over another free. Galway 0-3 Dublin 0-0
5 mins: Cian Daniels finds space again and this time takes his score. Galway 0-2 Dublin 0-0
2 mins: Early free for Galway, Cian Daniels fouled. Aaron Nilan does the neccesary and we’re away. Galway 0-1 Dublin 0-0
Here we go then for a huge Saturday in the hurling championship. First up, Galway v Dublin in Salthill. Dublin team news is that John Hetherton, the focal point of their attack up to now, is out. Conor McHugh, Paddy Doyle and Conal Ó Riain all start in place of Eoghan O’Donnell, Darragh Power and Hetherton. For Galway, Tom Monaghan comes in for Rory Burke.
Dublin: Eddie Gibbons; Conor Groarke,Paddy Smyth, Conor McHugh; Conor Burke, Liam Rushe, Chris Crummey; Brian Hayes, Conor Donghue; Fergal Whitely, Donal Burke, David Purcell; Conal Ó Riaian, Paddy Doyle, Cian O’Sullivan
Galway: Darach Fahy; Ronan Glennon, Cillian Trayers, Darren Morrissey; Padraic Mannion, Daithí Burke, Gavin Lee; Cian Daniels, Tiernan Killeen; John Fleming, Cathal Mannion, Aaron Niland; Jason Rabbitte, Conor Whelan, Tom Monaghan.
