SATURDAY 1 JUNE
Clare v Kerry, Cusack Park, 7pm
Cork v Limerick, Páirc Uí Rinn, 7pm
Online
Live blog on RTÉ.ie and the RTÉ News Now App from 6.30pm.
Radio
Listen to live updates on RTÉ Radio 1’s Saturday Sport.
Television
Highlights on The Sunday Game on RTÉ2 Television and the RTÉ Player from 9.30pm.
Weather
Saturday morning will start dry over much of Connacht and Ulster with bright or sunny spells. However much of Munster and Leinster will be cloudy with patchy rain and drizzle. The cloudy conditions and patchy light rain or drizzle will extend northwards in the afternoon and some limited bright or sunny intervals will develop over the southern half of the country. By evening time, a more persistent band of rain will develop along the west coast. Highest temperatures of 15 to 19 degrees with light to moderate southeasterly breezes. For more go to met.ie.
Thy Kingdom come against familiar provincial opposition
After Mayo's loss last weekend, a certain amount of attention will most certainly fall on Kerry as they get their championship up and running against Clare. As one of the few who have the potential to challenge Dublin further down the line, it's most unlikely that the Green and and Gold will slip up in their quest to retain their Munster crown.
At the same juncture last year, Kerry made light work of the Banner. On the basis of the latter's fade out against Waterford three weeks ago, you would worry that a similar trimming could be in store for Colm Collins' side.
There is the expectation, however, that home comforts will ensure that Clare are competitive. Recent history would point to that, but the Banner's tendency to go long periods without scoring is a concern. For nearly 35 minutes against the Déise, they failed to register a score.
Under Collins, Clare have been competitive and have been a fixture in Division 2 for a few seasons now. They were All-Ireland quarter-finalists in 2016. Kerry defeated them well that day. In truth Clare are probably fed up playing Kerry in championship - this will be the sixth summer meeting between the sides since 2014.
Peter Keane got Kerry to a league final and despite being outplayed and outmuscled by Mayo in the second half, they had chances to win the game. Getting to the decider, perhaps it was bonus territory for Keane and co as he gave many new players a chance to stake a claim during the spring.
Speaking to RTÉ Sport ahead of the game, the Cahirciveen native said: "As the new manager with a new management team around me, we'd a lot of players who were new to it.
"Some of them were new to the set-up only last year and there was a few departures with retirements and stuff like that. So there was a lot of getting to know fellas and fellas getting to know each other.
"And then trying to find out the team and get a team pieced together."
The team to face Clare shows two championship debuts, with Shane Ryan starting in goal and Diarmuid O'Connor named on the half-back line.
From the side that lost to Mayo nine weeks ago, Jack Sherwood moves from full-back to the half-back line, while Shane Enright comes into the starting XV in place of Paul Murphy.
There is a new midfield partnership in David Moran and Adrian Spillane. David Clifford, Paul Geaney and James O'Donoghue make up a strong front line.
Tomás Ó Sé, in his weekend preview for RTÉ Sport, is somewhat surprised by the team selection.
"I just think the team they have chosen shows up a few interesting selections in defence and midfield. Shane Enright at number seven, I've never seen that! Tom O'Sullivan is at number four, but I thought he would have been an ideal attacking half-back. Jack Sherwood played most of the year at full-back and now he's at centre-back.
"I thought David Moran was injured and I assumed it would be Jack Barry and Diarmuid O'Connor at midfield, but now it's Moran and Adrian Spillane.
"All told, the issues are in defence. Kerry will not play a sweeper, therefore I expect the numbers 15 back to nine will have to up their levels and work like dogs to stop the turnover ball coming in.
"I worry for Kerry's lack of one-on-one defenders and I worry that it won't be exposed properly this weekend."
Last 5 Championship meetings
2018 Kerry 0-32 Clare 0-10 (Munster semi-final)
2017 Kerry 1-18 Clare 1-12 (Munster semi-final)
2016 Kerry 2-16 Clare 0-11 (All Ireland quarter-final)
2016 Kerry 2-23 Clare 0-17 (Munster semi-final)
2014 Kerry 1-17 Clare 1-13 (Munster semi-final)
Teams
Clare: Stephen Ryan; Gordon Kelly, Cillian Brennan, Kevin Hartnett; Sean Collins, Aaron fitzgerald, Dean Ryan; Gary Brennan, Cathal O'Connor; Kieran Malone, Eoin Cleary, Jamie Malone; Cian O'Dea, Cormac Murray, Gavin Cooney.
Kerry: Shane Ryan; Jason Foley, Tadhg Morley, Tom O’Sullivan; Gavin Crowley, Jack Sherwood Shane Enright; David Moran, Adrian Spillane; Diarmuid O’Connor, Sean O’Shea, Stephen O’Brien; David Clifford, Paul Geaney, James O’Donoghue.
Under fire Rebels face tricky opener
What a fall it has been for the Cork footballers. Last summer saw them beaten out the door by both Kerry and Tyrone and then this spring relegation to Division 3 followed.
To arrest the slide, the Cork County Board have announced the appointment of Conor Counihan as Project Co-Ordinator for Football.
This position is a newly-created three-year role with the object of implementing the #2024 Five-Year Plan for Cork football.
As for the here and now, Ronan McCarthy's side have their sights on reaching a Munster final, but standing in their way is a Limerick side who caused a bit of a stir when comfortably accounting for Tipperary on the 11 May. A Treaty outfit, who only won two games in Division 4.
After the game, Limerick half-forward and goalscorer Cillian Fahey told RTÉ Sport: "We went out, we knew we could do it. Not may outside thought we could do it
"Performances did pick up this year in the league even though we didn't get the results.
"Against Tipp we were like brothers, we worked for each other and that really stood to us."
The performance also caught Tomás Ó Sé's eye: "Billy Lee's men were brilliant against Tipperary. The performance of the championship for me to date has been Ian Corbett at centre-back.
"Jamie Lee was also outstanding against Tipp, as were Darragh Treacy and Tommie Childs in midfield."
Cork apparently have gone well in challenge games, but our Kerry pundit feels "it's hard to trust them after the last couple of seasons". He is right in that assertion. Quite simply the Rebels need to go out and blow Limerick away in order to lift low morale.
Nathan Walsh (full-back), Liam O’Donovan (wing-back) and Eoghan McSweeney (half-forward) all make their championship debuts for the Rebels.
Last 5 Championship meetings
2016 Cork 2-12 Limerick 0-10 (All-Ireland qualifiers)
2013 Cork 3-17 Limerick 0-08 (Munster quarter-final)
2010 Cork 0-16 Limerick 1-11 (All-Ireland qualifiers)
2009 Cork 2-06 Limerick 0-11 (Munster final) 2008 Cork 2-09 Limerick 0-12 (Munster semi-final)
Teams
Cork: Mark White; Nathan Walsh, James Loughrey, Kevin Flahive; Liam O Donovan, Thomas Clancy, Mattie Taylor; Ian Maguire, Killian O Hanlon; Eoghan McSweeney, Ruairi Deane, John O’ Rourke; Paul Kerrigan, Brian Hurley, Mark Collins.
Limerick: TBA
