The All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship has been whittled down to four teams as the line-ups for this year's semi-finals have been confirmed.
The reigning All-Ireland Champions Limerick will take on the most successful hurling county of all time Kilkenny on Saturday 27th July at 6pm.
It's after Kilkenny beat Cork today on a score-line of 2-27 to 3-18. It's Brian Cody's 20th season in charge of Kilkenny and two decades on from losing to the Rebels in his first All-Ireland final decider he today orchestrated their exit from the Championship.
The Cats trailed by 2 points at half-time but as everyone knows by now you simply can't underestimate them in second halves and they put in a huge shift, particularly in the third quarter to secure a 6 point win.
Cody's side outscored John Meyler's by 0-8 to 0-0 between the 40th and 52nd minute and had 12 different scorers in total throughout the contest.
At full-time, the Kilkenny boss described the semi-final clash with Limerick as a "terrific challenge."
"We're in the semi-final and we're very, very happy to be there but we're acutely aware we're playing the best team in the country. They were the best team in the country last year because they won the All-Ireland Final but they're the best team in the country even more so now because they followed that by winning the league and their form the last day was exceptional, no doubt about that."
"They're everybody's strong favourite to come out on top, not only the next day but eventual honours too."
Strong words, but as everyone knows by now, don't underestimate Cody's Cats.
Tipperary then will face Wexford on Sunday 28 July at 3.30pm after they brought Laois' fairytale summer to an end this afternoon.
Eddie Brennan's side battled bravely and particularly made a game of it in the first half.
They were dealt a major blow just after the break though as Aaron Dunphy was sent-off in the 39th minute.
Ross King's goal sent the crowd wild and had them dreaming but 1-12 from Jason Forde and 1-2 from Seamus Callanan saw the Premier prevail 2-25 to 1-18 winners.
Tipperary boss Liam Sheedy said their performance was far from perfect but they had "one assignment to do...to qualify for the All-Ireland semi-final."
"Wexford bring massive support, they bring a great energy to the pitch, they'll be raging hot favourites on the back of how we played there today."
"We're looking forward to getting back up here again, we showed flashes of our play today and we'll need to find more flashes of that but that's what we look forward to."
"It's a difficult road to navigate Munster and getting out of there...I'm thrilled for the players because they put in a huge effort over the last number of months, anything we've asked them to do they've done it admirably."
"We need to find another level and that's what we'll be trying to do in two weeks time and as a Tipperary person where else would you want to be?"
Last years hurling semi-final weekend was described by many as some of the greatest ever seen, can these clashes possibly top it? The countdown begins here.
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