Preview: Saturday's All-Ireland SHC Quarter-Finals

All-Ireland SHC Quarter-Finals

Saturday June 22

Dublin v Cork, FBD Semple Stadium, 1.15pm, RTE

This promises to be an interesting encounter in Thurles with Dublin keen to respond following a bitterly disappointing Leinster SHC Final display.

Kilkenny ruthlessly punished Dublin in that fixture, but another demanding match awaits because Cork have generated momentum since overcoming Limerick in Munster.

That morale boosting success injected Pat Ryan's panel with confidence as Patrick Horgan and Alan Connolly have contributed handsomely in attack.

Shane Barrett is another key performer for Cork, who will be striving to make an impact in the All-Ireland series with a talented collection of emerging and established players.

Dublin delivered in style against Galway at Pearse Stadium, but the provincial decider was an undoubted setback.

Kilkenny hit the front early and Dublin were never able to recover despite the efforts of Donal Burke and Conor Burke.

Overall, Micheál Donoghue has integrated a lot of new players during the past 18 months with valuable experience being gleaned at senior inter-county level.

The future appears bright for Dublin, but they are firmly focused on the present against an accomplished Cork outfit.

Dublin: Seán Brennan; John Bellew, Eoghan O'Donnell, Paddy Smyth; Chris Crummey, Conor Donohoe, Paddy Doyle; Brian Hayes, Conor Burke; Danny Sutcliffe, Donal Burke, Seán Currie; Fergal Whiteley, Dara Purcell, Ronan Hayes.

Subs: Eddie Gibbons, James Madden, Daire Gray, Seán Gallagher, Darragh Power, Mark Grogan, Diarmaid Ó Dúlaing, Colin Currie, Paul Crummey, Jake Malone, Joe Flanagan.

Cork: Patrick Collins; Niall O'Leary, Eoin Downey, Seán O'Donoghue; Tim O'Mahony, Robert Downey, Mark Coleman; Ciarán Joyce, Darragh Fitzgibbon; Declan Dalton, Shane Barrett, Séamus Harnedy; Patrick Horgan, Alan Connolly, Brian Hayes.

Subs: Brion Saunderson, Damien Cahalane, Ger Mellerick, Tommy O'Connell, Luke Meade, Shane Kingston, Robbie O'Flynn, Jack O'Connor, Seán Twomey, Padraig Power, Conor Lehane.

Clare v Wexford, FBD Semple Stadium, 3.15pm, RTE

Another attractive match beckons between two counties, who have sampled plenty of Championship action in each other's company.

Since a disastrous Leinster Championship defeat away to Antrim at Corrigan Park, Wexford, prompted by the excellent Lee Chin have thundered back into the reckoning.

Defeating Galway on home turf was a hugely significant statement made by Keith Rossiter's charges, who will relish this battle at FBD Semple Stadium.

Clare were soundly beaten by Limerick in the Munster showpiece, but David Fitzgerald and Tony Kelly did land nice scores from play for Brian Lohan's team.

With Peter Duggan, Aidan McCarthy, and Shane O'Donnell capable players, Clare will be intent on earning a trip to Croke Park for the penultimate round.

That is the stage on which Clare want to demonstrate their ability, but Wexford are similarly optimistic.

Chin starred in the win over Laois, while Conor McDonald, Cian Byrne, Liam Óg McGovern, and Conor Hearne also made valuable scoring contributions.

Clare: Eibhear Quilligan; Adam Hogan, Conor Cleary, Conor Leen; Diarmuid Ryan, John Conlon, David McInerney; David Fitzgerald, Cathal Malone; Tony Kelly, Mark Rodgers, Peter Duggan; Aidan McCarthy, Shane O'Donnell, David Reidy.

Subs: Cian Broderick, Rory Hayes, Paul Flanagan, Cian Galvin, Darragh Lohan, Patrick Crotty, Ian Galvin, Aron Shanagher, Shane Meehan, Robin Mounsey, Seán Rynne.

Wexford: Mark Fanning; Shane Reck, Conor Foley, Eoin Ryan; Simon Donohoe, Damien Reck, Matthew O'Hanlon; Conor Hearne, Richie Lawlor; Liam Óg McGovern, Lee Chin, Charlie McGuckin; Cian Byrne, Conor McDonald, Rory O'Connor.

Subs: Aaron Duggan, Kevin Foley, Séamus Casey, Tomás Kinsella, Cathal Dunbar, Niall Murphy, Darragh Carley, Corey Byrne Dunbar, Diarmuid O'Keeffe, Conor Devitt, Paudie Casey.