GAA draws

THE first Clare GAA team into competitive action in 2011 will be the senior footballers, who will begin their challenge for the McGrath Cup on January 9 against UCC.
Twelve teams will participate in the competition, which will be played on successive weekends, with the final set for January 30, the week before the national league campaign begins.
Should Clare manage to overcome the challenge of UCC, they will go through to a quarter-final date with Cork IT.
The Clare senior hurlers will have their first competitive outing of 2011 on January 16, when they take on Tralee IT in the opening round of the Waterford Crystal Tournament. A quarter-final date against Limerick IT awaits the winner.
Dates for the start of the season annual tournaments, along with the draws and dates for the provincial minor, U-21, junior (football) and intermediate (hurling) were made at a council meeting last week when the dates and venues for the senior championship games were finalised.
Clare hurlers will play on June 19 against Tipperary (in Limerick) or Cork (in Thurles) while the footballers will play on May 25 against the All-Ireland champions Cork at Pairc Uí Caoimh.
Clare will begin the defence of their Munster minor hurling title on April 27 against Kerry.

 

Draws
Waterford Crystal senior hurling
Preliminary round, January 16: A Clare v IT Tralee; B. Kerry v Cork IT; C Tipperary v Waterford IT.
Quarter-finals, January 23: D Limerick IT v winner of A; E Waterford v winner of B; F UL v winner of C; G Cork v UCC.
Semi-finals, January 30: D v E; F v G
Final, February 6.

McGrath Cup, senior football
Preliminary round, January 9: A Cork v Waterford IT; B Kerry v IT Tralee; C Tipperary v UL; D Clare v UCC
Quarter-finals, January 16: E Limerick v winner of A; F Limerick IT v winner of B; G Waterford v winner of C; H Cork IT v Winner of D.
Semi-finals, January 23: J Winner of E v winner of F; K winner of G v winner of H.
Final: January 30.

Senior hurling
Quarter-final, May 29: Tipperary v Cork at Thurles.
Semi-finals, June 12: Limerick v Waterford at Thurles; June 19, IF Clare v Tipperary at Limerick; IF Clare v Cork at Thurles.
Final: July 10

Senior football
Quarter-finals, May 22: A Kerry v Tipperary at Killarney; B Cork v Clare at Pairc Uí Chaoimh
Semi-finals, June 4: Limerick v winners A at Limerick; June 5: IF Cork v Waterford at Pairc Uí Chaoimh; IF
Clare v Waterford at Ennis.
Final: July 3

U-21 hurling
Quarter-final, July 1: A. Waterford v Tipperary
Semi-finals, July 20: winner of A v Cork; July 21: Clare v Limerick
Final: August 3

U-21 football
Quarter-finals, March 9: A Tipperary v Waterford; B Limerick v Clare.
Semi-finals, March 23: Cork v winner of A; Kerry v winner of B.
Final: April 6

Minor hurling
Round 1, April 27: A Waterford v Tipperary; B Limerick v Cork; C Kerry v Clare.
Round 2: semi-final play-off 1, April 30, D Loser of B v loser of C; semi-final play-off 2, May 7: E winner of D v loser of A.
Semi-finals, June 24: F winner of A v winner of B; G winner of E v winner of C.
Final: July 10, curtain-raiser to senior final.

Minor football
Round 1, April 13: A Tipperary v Limerick; B Waterford v Kerry; C Cork v Clare.
Round 2: semi-final play-off 1, April 16, D loser of B v loser of C; semi-final play-off 2, April 23, E winner of D v loser of A
Semi-finals, May 18: F winner of A v winner of B; G winner of C v winner of E.
Final: July 3, curtain-raiser to senior final

Intermediate hurling
Quarter-final, May 29: Tipperary v Cork at Thurles.
Semi-finals, June 12: Limerick v Waterford at Thurles; June 19, IF Clare v Tipperary at Limerick; IF Clare v Cork at Thurles.
Final: July 13

Junior football
Quarter-finals, May 22: A Kerry v Tipperary at Killarney; B Cork v Clare at Pairc Uí Chaoimh.
Semi-finals, June 4: Limerick v winners A at Limerick; June 5, IF Cork v Waterford at Pairc Uí Chaoimh; IF Clare v Waterford at Ennis.
Final: July 6