Munster Senior Football Championship Semi-Finals

Kerry vs. Clare

Team News

CLARE (SFC vs. Kerry): J Hayes; L Healy, C Whelan, G Kelly; N Considine, D Connole, J Hayes; G Quinlan, G Brennan; D Russell, S Hickey, S Collins; R Donnelly, C Dillon, D Tubridy.

KERRY (SFC vs. Clare): Diarmuid Murphy (Dingle); Marc Ó Sé (An Ghaeltacht), Tom O’Sullivan (Rathmore), Padraig Reidy (Scartaglin); Tomás Ó Sé (An Ghaeltacht), Aidan O’Mahony (Rathmore), Tommy Griffin (Dingle); Darragh Ó Sé (An Ghaeltacht), Seamus Scanlon (Currow); Paul Galvin (Finuge – Captain), Declan O’Sullivan (Piarsaigh Na Dromada), Eoin Brosnan (Dr. Crokes); Colm Cooper (Dr. Crokes), Tommy Walsh (Kerins O’Rahilly’s), Brian Sheehan (St Mary’s)
Subs: Kieran Cremin (Dr. Crokes), Kieran Donaghy (Austin Stacks), Killian Young (Renard), Seán O’Sullivan (Cromane), Micheal Quirke (Kerins O’Rahillys), Darren O’Sullivan (Glenbeigh / Glencar), Daniel Bohane (Austin Stacks), Mike Frank Russell (Laune Rangers), Paul O’Connor (Kenmare), Kieran O’Leary (Dr. Crokes), Donncha Walsh (Cromane), David Moran (Kerins O’Rahilly’s), Mike Moloney (Dr Crokes), Rónán Ó Flatharta (An Ghaeltacht)

Match Preview

They meet for the first time in the Munster championship since 2004 when Eoin Brosnan (1-4) and Mike Frank Russell (0-5) landed 1-9 between them as Kerry won a quarter-final tie by 2-10 to 0-9. As is the case with so many counties, Clare have a poor championship record against Kerry, having won just three of 43 clashes while one was drawn. However, Clare still have very happy memories of 1992 when they beat Kerry in the Munster final.

Kerry will be having their first outing in this year’s championship whereas Clare already have a win behind them. They beat Waterford by 0-9 to 0-7 in the quarter-final tie on May 25 on a day when David Tubridy was their top scorer on 0-5. Kerry are bidding for a place in the final for a sixth successive year while Clare last reached the final in 2000 where they lost to Kerry.

Last Five Championship Meetings
2004 – Kerry 2-10 Clare 0-9
2000 – Kerry 3-15 Clare 0-8
1999 – Kerry 3-17 Clare 0-12
1997 – Kerry 1-13 Clare 0-11
1992 – Clare 2-10 Kerry 0-12

Cork vs. Limerick

Team News

Cork (SFC v Limerick): A Quirke; D Duggan, G Canty, B O’Regan; P Kissane, G Spillane, N O’Leary; N Murphy, A O’Connor; P O’Neill, F Goold, S O’Brien; D Goulding, D O’Connor, J Hayes.
Subs: P O’Shea, K O’Connor, J Masters, D Kavanagh, C McCarthy, P Kelly, M Cussen, P Kerrigan, K O’Sullivan, A Lynch, O Sexton, S O’Donoghue, A O’Sullivan, M Harrington.

LIMERICK (SFC v Cork): S Kiely; D Carroll, J McCarthy, S Gallagher; P Browne, S Lavin, P Ranahan; J Galvin, J O’Donovan; S Kelly, J Cooke, S Buckley; G Collins, K O’Callaghan, I Ryan.

Match Preview

They meet for the third successive year with Cork seeking a triple success over Mickey Ned O’Sullivan’s side. Cork have enjoyed long periods of dominance over Limerick in the Munster championship down through the years, winning 21 of 24 games while Limerick have won three, the last of which was in 2003 when they secured a ten-point winning margin (0-16 to 0-6).

Conor Counihan, a double All-Ireland winner with Cork in 1989-90, is in his first season as manager and will be having his first outing in the championship whereas Limerick have already won a game, beating Tipperary by 1-8 to 1-5 in the quarter-final on May 25. Seanie Buckley’s first half goal proved crucial for the winners. Limerick are seeking to reach the Munster final for the first time since 2004 when they lost a replay to Kerry. The last time Cork failed to reach the final was in 2004.

Last Five Championship Meetings
2007 – Cork 2-14 Limerick 0-7
2006 – Cork 0-9 Limerick 0-5
2003 – Limerick 0-16 Cork 0-6
2000 – Cork 3-13 Limerick 2-8
1999 – Cork 4-13 Limerick 1-6