GAA: Galway and Clare on semi-final track; close encounters in preliminary quarter-finals

We’re into the business-end of the season as two more teams went toppling out of the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship, while the All-Ireland Senior Football preliminary quarter-finals got underway.

A home game for Cork at Páirc Uí Chaoimh got the day’s football action underway, with a place in the football quarter-finals with the four provincial winners up for grabs.

The Rebels welcomed Roscommon, with little to separate the counties in the opening half.

Roscommon’s 0-7 to 0-6 lead at the break didn’t last long once play resumed, with the sides trading places on three occasions before Conor Corbett raised the green flag for the homeside to make it 1-12 to 0-11.

Three points from Diarmuid Murtagh aided his team back into the game, leaving it to Ciaráin Murtagh to provide the leveller on the cusp of full-time, but the four added minutes was enough to see Enda Smith send to the line on a red card and a winning point for Kevin O’Donovan.

Advertisement Cork’s Matty Taylor celebrares after scoring a point. Photo: Inpho

Proceedings at O’Connor Park also ended in a last gasp point, as Monaghan narrowly got past Kildare to keep their season alive, on the day the county’s minor team bested Kerry to earn a spot in the All-Ireland Final.

Almost bookending Monaghan’s scoring, McCarthy came good with a goal four minutes into the game, giving his county the early momentum. The sides remained nip-and-tuck throughout, pulling level six times, but Monaghan just did enough to end it 1-11 to 0-13.

In the final football fixture of the day, Tyrone travelled to Ballybofey where they took a 1-18 to 0-13 win over Donegal.

In a disastrous start for the home team, Ruairí opened the scoring with a goal in the first minute, establishing a lead they held throughout.

Leading five points at half-time, Donegal had a mountain to climb when play got back underway, but struggling to create scoring opportunities, Tyrone easily kept them at arm’s length to see out the game with ease.

Hurling

The Gaelic Grounds hosted an All-Ireland Hurling semi-final double-header, as Dublin met Clare and Tipperary faced Galway.

First up was the Dubs against the Banner, with Brian Lohan’s men coming off the back of a disappointing defeat to Limerick in the Munster Final.

Despite a wobbly start from Clare, they proved much too strong for Micheál Donoghue’s charges as Tony Kelly, Shane O’Donnell and Mark Rodgers all contributed goals to make it an end tally of 5-26 to Dublin’s 2-17.

The second game was a much more hotly contested affair, with Tipperary making the Leinster runners-up work to the final whistle.

Galway looked the more comfortable team from the offset, with Tipperary failing to find their stride.

Trailing by three points at the break, things went from bad to worse for Tipp when Conor Whelan netted for the Tribesmen just 13 seconds after play resumed.

However, Liam Cahill’s men plugged away, until the much-needed goal finally came courtesy of John McGrath.

With the game back to one-point, the sides traded points, with Jason Forde and Seamus Kennedy keeping the Premier county in touch, but with the clock in the red, Tom Monaghan’s point meant Tipperary needed a goal in the final play, but Galway’s backs held firm, seeing them live to fight another day.

To avoid repeat of the provincial final pairings, Galway will now play Limerick in the All-Ireland semi-final on Saturday, July 8th, before Clare face Kilkenny on Sunday, July 9th.

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