Back in January or February if you asked any GAA supporter who they thought would contest this year's All-Ireland senior hurling final the answer would probably have been, Tipperary and Kilkenny. And although the two semifinals have yet to be played it's looking very much like Kilkenny and Tipp will be meeting at Croke Park on the first Sunday in September. On Sunday next we will have the first of the semifinals when Kilkenny play Waterford at GAA headquarters. A few weeks back very few people except for manager Davy Fitzgerald, gave Waterford a chance in the All-Ireland quarterfinal against Galway. Waterford went into that game on the back of a seven goal defeat to Tipp in the Munster final. We don't know if Waterford were very good in Thurles or did Galway fail to deliver once again.
Meanwhile Kilkenny have been motoring along nicely since their shock defeat to Dublin in the National League Final on May Day. The Cats travelled to Wexford Park and easily accounted for Wexford and then they made it seven Leinster titles in-a-row with a 4-17 to 1-15 win over Dublin in the Leinster final. Kilkenny manager Brian Cody has freshened up his team: he has a new goalkeeper Dave Herrity, and corner back Paul Murphy, and of course the great Henry Shefflin is back to full fitness after hobbling off in last year's All-Ireland final. Three years ago Davy Fitzgerald took over a Waterford team who seemed to be going nowhere under Justin McCarthy and led them to the All-Ireland final where they were well and truly trounced by Kilkenny. Twelve months later the counties met at the semifinal stage where the Cats won again, but only by five points. Last year, Waterford got the semifinal again where the lost to eventual champions Tipperary. So credit to Fitzgerald for lifting Waterford when they were down, but I think that the revived Cats will have too much class for the Déise men on Sunday.
DUBLIN CAN MAKE IT TO SAM SEMIS
There was a time and it's only a few years ago when there were always calls for the Dublin footballers to be given Croke Park to themselves for big games because they had no difficulty filling the 82,000 capacity stadium. But the economic downturn is definitely affecting attendances this year and even though the GAA has reduced ticket prices up to the all-Ireland finals, the days of full houses seem to be gone except for finals. On Saturday next Dublin will have a 7 p.m. start off when they will play Tyrone in the last of the All-Ireland football quarterfinals. Michael Dara McAuley, who broke his wrist in the Leinster semifnal win over Kildare should be back and I expect this young Dublin side to be too strong for their opponents.
Sligo Rovers must have a great chance of progressing to the fourth round of the Europa League after their 0-0 draw against Vorkskla Poltava in the Ukraine last Thursday. Sligo were unlucky not to get that vital away goal as Alan Kirby's shot hit the crossbar in the second half. The second leg is at the Showgrounds tomorrow night. But it's not looking good for St Patrick's Athletic after they went down 2-0 to Karpaty Lviv, also in the Ukraine last Thursday. The Saints have to play the second leg at Tallaght Stadium tomorrow evening as their own ground in Inchicore is not up to the standard required for the third round of the Europa League.
Meanwhile Shamrock Rovers were only one goal down going last night's second leg of their Champions League qualifying tie against FC Copenhagen in Tallaght. The Hoops were unlucky not to get an away goal in Denmark last week and the feeling, going to press, was that they could turn around that one-goal deficit.
CITY VS. UNITED AT WEMBLEY
At the end of last season Manchester was declared the soccer capital of England as United won their 19th League title and City beat Stoke to win the FA Cup for the first time since 1969. As a result of those wins the clubs will now meet in the Community Shield Final at Wembley on Sunday next in what is the traditional curtain-raiser to the English Premier League. United manager Alex Ferguson says it will be difficult to replace Paul Scholes but the Scot is happy with his three summer recruits: goalkeeper David de Gea from Athletico Madrid, Ashley Young from Aston Villa and Phil Jones from Blackburn. City manager Roberto Mancini had made three big name signings: Diego Maradona's son-in-law Sergio Aguero from Athletico Madrid, Gael Clichy from Arsenal and Montenegro international Stefan Savic from Partizan Belgrade. Fergie seems to have got annoyed with City's recent success and you can expect United to try hard to win this one.
BOSSES UNSURE OF FUTURE
After 75 year-old Mick O'Dwyer's last game with Wicklow the honor of being the oldest intercounty manager in the country fell to Derry's John Brennan, who will be 74 later this month. However, Brennan is not sure if he will have the Oak Leaf job next year. Brennan said: ''I have no three year contract, there's nothing on paper and I didn't ask for one. I said I would do the job for one year. I have improved a few things but there are still a lot of things in Derry I'd like to sort out. Some things I am not happy about. If I come back another year, there would certainly be changes for the betterment of the county team.'' Brennan is one of many managers not sure what their future holds. Jason Ryan, who held the honor of being the youngest manager in the country, doesn't know if he will continue for a fifth year with Wexford. The 35 year-old has yet to have his end of season meeting with the County Board.
In Galway John McIntyre, may not wait until Galway Hurling Board meeting in September. He is only half-way through his current two-year term, but the feeling is that the Tipperary man will walk after another season where Galway failed to deliver.
