Munster club hurling final set for Páirc Uí Chaoimh

Páirc Uí Chaoimh will stage the Munster club hurling final on Sunday week, the Munster Council opting for a neutral venue for the showdown between Thurles Sarsfields of Tipperary and De La Salle of Waterford.

A repeat of the 2010 final – which De La Salle won – the Cork venue was chosen in place of Semple Stadium, which traditionally hosts the final, but would have afforded Thurles Sarsfields home advantage.

Both clubs endured intense semi-finals on Sunday, with De La Salle needing a late goal to seal their win over Clare champions Newmarket-on-Fergus, and set up a third final appearance in five years – while Thurles Sarsfields, playing in Semple Stadium, also struck in injury time to close out the challenge of Cork champions Sarsfields, and with that maintain their hopes of a first provincial title.

Also announced are the venues for this Sunday’s Munster club football semi-finals – with Dr Crokes back on home turf in Killarney for their meeting with Clonmel Commercials Tipperary, while Cork champions Castlehaven will face Stradbally of Waterford at Clonakilty.

Also now confirmed are next year’s Munster championship venues, and new Clare football manager Mick O’Dwyer can look forward to a first game in charge on adopted home turf, as Clare face the winners of either Cork or Limerick in Cusack Park, next June 16th.

In hurling, Semple Stadium will host the quarter-final game between Clare and Waterford on June 2nd, with the first semi-final between Limerick and Tipperary on June 9th set for the Gaelic Grounds, while Cork must also travel to either Limerick or Thurles for their semi-final against the winners of Clare and Waterford, on June 23rd.

The Leinster Council have broken up their club hurling semi-finals, with Kilcormac-Killoughey of Offaly playing Rathdowney Errill of Laois in Tullamore this Sunday, while newly-crowned Kilkenny champions Ballyhale Shamrocks get an extra week break, and will face Oulart-the-Ballagh of Wexford in the other semi-final on Sunday week.