Clare will have home advantage for their first round hurling qualifier tie after been  drawn against Wexford. A meeting of the competitions control committee at Croke Park this Monday afternoon will when this game will take place.

Two of the four games are due to be played this coming weekend with the remaining two a week later. Already scheduled for the second weekend is the meeting of Tipperary and the losers of the Galvay v Kilkenny replay, a fixture which is sure to attract huge attention regardless of who will provide the opposition for Tipperary.

The other two fixtures will see Antrim play Offaly and Waterford take on Laois.  A draw between the four winners wil determine the two fixtures to take place on July 12 with the winners of those games going on to play in the quarter finals against the beaten Leinster and Munster finalists on the weekend of July26/27

Last year, Clare were fortunate to overcome Wexford, after extra time, in round 2 of the qualifier which was played at Semple Stadium in Thurles.

By Seamus Hayes