The 2022 Inter-County season will commence on Sunday, January 2, when the Clare senior footballers travel to Dungarvan to take on Waterford in the opening round of the McGrath Cup (Munster Senior Football League) at 2pm.
In a hectic first week of Colm Collins’ historic ninth season in charge, the Banner welcome Group 1 rivals Cork, under new manager Keith Ricken, to Hennessy Memorial Park in Miltown Malbay four days later for the first time since winning the McGrath Cup on home soil in 2019.
The Group 1 winners will subsequently face their Group 2 equivalents (Kerry, Limerick or Tipperary) in the final on Sunday, January 15.
In contrast, it’s winner-takes-all for Brian Lohan’s Clare senior hurlers who also face Waterford, this time in the more familiar setting of O’Garney Park in Sixmilebridge for their Munster Hurling Cup Semi-Final on Friday, January 14 (7pm).
With the championship spoils evenly split between the counties over the past two years, it marks an early opportunity for either Brian Lohan or Liam Cahill to begin their third season in charge with an early final appearance on Saturday, January 22.
McGrath Cup Football
(Top team from each group to contest final)
Group 1
Waterford v Clare
at Fraher Field, Dungarvan
(Sunday, January 2) 2pm
Clare v Cork
at Hennessy Memorial Park,
Miltown Malbay
(Thursday, January 6) 7pm
Cork v Waterford
at Páirc Uí Rinn
(Tuesday, January 11)
7pm
Group 2
Kerry v Limerick
at Austin Stack Park, Tralee (Wednesday, January 5) 7pm
Limerick v Tipperary
at Mick Neville Park, Rathkeale (Sunday, January 9) 2pm
Tipperary v Kerry
at Dr. Morris Park, Thurles (Wednesday, January 12) 7pm
Final (Saturday, January 15th)
Co-op Superstores Munster Hurling Cup
(Knock-Out)
Quarter-Final
Kerry v Tipperary
at Austin Stack Park, Tralee
(Saturday, January 8) 2pm
Semi-Finals
Clare v Waterford
at O’Garney Park, Sixmilebridge (Friday, January 14) 7pm
Limerick v Tipperary or Kerry at TUS Gaelic Grounds, Limerick (Friday, January 14) 7pm
Final (Saturday, January 22)
by Eoin Brennan