BBC pundits preview All-Ireland hurling semi-finals
It's semi-final weekend in the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship and we have two intriguing games to look forward to.On Saturday, the favourites take on the outsiders as league and Munster champions Cork take on surprise package Dublin, who dumped out Limerick in the last eight. Then, fireworks are expected when the old rivals of Kilkenny and Tipperary face off on Sunday. Both games are live on BBC iPlayer and BBC Two NI, and BBC Sport NI's star-studded line-up offer up some predictions ahead of the semi-final ties.
Cork v Dublin: Who is heading to the final?
Paul Murphy (four-time All-Ireland winner with Kilkenny): "Cork will be coming into Saturday's semi-final as big favourites."Dublin, after beating Limerick in one of the biggest shocks in the history of modern hurling, will have a lot of support from people around the county who are hoping there will be an upset. The thing coming into this game is the element of surprise they had against Limerick isn't there now."Cork will be well warned, so they will be looking to start very fast to knock the wind out of Dublin's sails."Jamesie O'Connor (two-time All-Ireland winner with Clare): "Cork are everyone's favourites for the All-Ireland, given how narrowly they were beaten by Clare in the final last year, and then they took out Limerick in this year's Munster final. "They wouldn't have envisaged meeting Dublin, whose win over Limerick has blown the whole thing wide open. The only danger for Cork is not treating Dublin with the respect they deserve."They met last year in the quarter-finals and Cork had five points to spare without playing particularly well, but I also felt they had another gear, so the question is whether Dublin have closed that gap? I don't think they have."
Seamus Flanagan (five-time All-Ireland winner with Limerick): "The Cork-Dublin game is two teams coming in with huge confidence."Cork are coming off the back of a league title and Munster title, and then what Dublin produced against Limerick two weeks ago will really stand to them. I like what Dublin manager Niall O Ceallachain is adding to Dublin. He is a cool character on the sideline and he is instilling a lot of confidence into the side."Neil McManus (former Antrim captain): "Dublin manager Niall O Ceallachain is transforming hurling in the county, taking Na Fianna to the All-Ireland Club title in January and was close to returning Dublin to Division 1A in the league. Not making back-to-back Leinster finals will have hurt them, but here they are in an All-Ireland semi-final."Cork have strength-in-depth and seem to be the complete package. They will be yearning for a return to the biggest day in the hurling calendar to right the wrongs of last July when they lost to Clare."It's all to play for, but that Cork full-forward line may be too hot to handle and I think they will pull away in the closing stages."
Cork v Dublin: Match-ups and ones to watch
Murphy: "Dublin got real traction around the middle in the quarter-final. Sean Currie has been brilliant for them in the forwards, while at midfield, Conor Burke and Brian Hayes have been exceptional. You also have Conor McHugh, who was with the Dublin footballers for a number of years and has All-Ireland medals, so he'll bring big-game experience."Cork will look to shut those lads down but on the other side, Dublin will be looking to stop Darragh Fitzgibbon who is the main guy for Cork. He'll most likely be at midfield and making runs though that Dublin defence."In the forwards, Brian Hayes and Alan Connolly are well able to get goals and if Dublin want to win, they have to stop them, which is easier said than done."O'Connor: "Cork have the better forwards, particularly in the full-forward line. Brian Hayes - powerful, strong and skilful - was a big reason they won the Munster final because of the selfless work he did when competing for ball in the half-forward line. Alan Connolly is hugely underrated with an eye for goal and add in the experience of Patrick Horgan."Dublin have to put the shackles on them, whether it's Paddy Smyth on Hayes, then John Bellew or Conor McHugh on Connolly, they will take a huge step forward if they can hold up."Dublin are missing Chris Crummey, their first-choice centre-back and captain. Conor Burke, who hit five points in a man-of-the-match display against Limerick, will step in there, but Shane Barrett at centre-forward is really dangerous for Cork and that's another match-up Dublin will have put a lot of thought into."Brian Hayes was brilliant in midfield against Limerick and with Conor Donohoe - who missed the Limerick game through suspension - in there with him, it's an area where Dublin can break even to give themselves a fighting chance."
Flanagan: "Eoin Downey marking John Hetherton - if he gets that start or whenever he does come on - is going to be a huge match-up."Brian Hayes around the Middle for Dublin and also Cork's Brian Hayes in the forwards are both going to take massive marking, but I feel Patrick Horgan is still to get fully up to speed for Cork and he may have a huge bearing."McManus: "The Dublin full-back line is not huge in stature, but very physical with Conor McHugh and John Bellew either side of full-back Paddy Smyth."The key battle will be how they handle the raw power and explosiveness of the Cork full-forward line. They were heroic again Limerick, but this challenge is a different level."Patrick Horgan, Alan Connolly and Brian Hayes can be lethal and they have willing runners joining them from the half-forward line in Diarmuid Healy and Shane Barrett - an attack laden with pace and goalscoring ability, but Hayes' ball-winning ability could also be crucial."Midfield is also an area of strength for Dublin with Conor Burke and Brian Hayes' athleticism ensuring they can compete with Cork in the middle third."Sean Currie got six points the last day and Cian O'Sullivan can be a match-winner, but in John Hetherton and Ronan Hayes, they have ball-winners to target inside because as they are going to need goals."
Kilkenny v Tipperary: Who claims the bragging rights?
Murphy: "Sunday's semi-final is very evenly balanced and could come down to form on the day."Kilkenny have come through the Leinster Championship, beating Galway comprehensively in the Leinster final and Tipperary had good form in the Munster Championship. Had Darragh McCarthy not been send off against Cork, they may have made the Munster final, so will be happy with where they are."I'm not sure anyone fancies this game to have more than one or two points in it, so it should be a really good one."O'Connor: "I feel Kilkenny are coming in completely under the radar. People have mentioned they are yet to be tested, but they can only beat what's in front of them. "They never beat themselves, so you have to play well to take them down and I think this year there is a genuine huger to get over the line. All the talk of Munster and Cork is fuelling that huger and they are the team everyone should be worrying about."Kilkenny are the more experienced team and have suffered huge disappointment over the last three years in finals and a semi-final."Tipp haven't been back in Croke Park since 2019, so they have a number of players without that experience. They have a chance, but I just think Kilkenny may want it that bit more and will have a bit more know-how."
Flanagan: "Tipp-Kilkenny is a clash of different styles. Kilkenny are going to bring that work-rate, off the ball and on it."Then you look at Tipperary who have a really nice blend, which is unusual in a sense. Instead of mixing the youth with experience, they've done the opposite and mixed the experience with the youth. The youth is shouldering the weight of all expectation in Tipperary."It's going to be a real humdinger of a game."McManus: "This is one for the purists."It's hard to believe the last time Tipperary were in Croke Park was 2019, when they were managed to an All-Ireland title by Liam Sheedy. This time, it's Liam Cahill at the helm and he will be delighted with how the younger members of the team have gelled with the stalwarts."We've seen an array of scorers from Tipperary. Against Galway, they scored 1-24 from play which is impressive."Kilkenny have won six Leinster titles in-a-row and their commanding win over Galway in the 2025 final came without Eoin Cody."If Kilkenny can deal with the Tipperary sharpshooters, then they can edge a classic."
Kilkenny v Tipperary: What to watch out for
Murphy: "With Tipperary, Andrew Ormond will start at centre-forward and will try to pull out whoever the Kilkenny centre-back is, most likely Richie Reid, out of position with the hope of getting the ball in behind, so the Tipperary forwards can get a few goals."It is the same for Kilkenny with either John Donnelly or Adrian Mullen starting at centre-forward. Whomever it is, they will look to drop into midfield to drag Ronan Maher out of the centre-back position and leave space for TJ Reid or Martin Keoghan to get in for a goal."O'Connor: "Eoin Cody is back and he is a huge player for Kilkenny. "'Mossy' Keoghan in the other corner has been in brilliant form over the last couple of seasons and has really stepped up when the other guys weren't available."Tipp have to get their match-ups right to curb Cody and Keoghan because they will run at the Tipp defence. It's in Kilkenny's nature to go for the jugular and they will feel the Tipp defence lacks pace and can be got at."
Flanagan: "Huw Lawlor in defence for Kilkenny, whether he picks up John McGrath or Jason Forde or does a rotation on the two of them, is going to be a big influence."But there are so many match-ups all around the field. TJ Reid - who is going to pick him up? And what is Eoin Cody going to be like without a big pile of championship game-time under his belt? That's a big question for Tipperary to answer."McManus: "Tipperary are built on solid foundations as they have sorted out their issues down the spine of their defence. Eoghan Connolly has been dominant at full-back and Ronan Maher at six has turned them into an imposing unit."Michael Breen won an All-Ireland in 2019 as a midfielder, but has reinvented himself as a hard-as-nails corner-back, so we'll likely see him taking on Eoin Cody."One concern is at midfield as Kilkenny have Cian Kenny and Jordan Molloy working so hard there, so we may see Alan Tynan or Darragh Stakelum partnering Willie Connors."If the Kilkenny rear-guard of Mikey Butler, Huw Lawlor, Mikey Carey and Paddy Deegan can stand strong against the Tipperary forward unit, it gives them every chance to progress."
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