Shane Stapleton and Michael Verney discuss this morning’s draw for the All-Ireland SHC qualifiers.
Clare will meet Laois in the first round of the All-Ireland SHC qualifiers, while Dublin clash with Cork on the other side of the draw.
It means that Wexford and Tipperary will get byes into the second round, with an open draw to come at that stage.
Of the six counties coming into the back door competition, only the Dubs were on the back of a narrow loss and a somewhat encouraging performance.
They had gone 16 points behind against Kilkenny but pulled back level before fading out at the death.
Eddie Brennan’s O’Moore County had suffered a heavy loss to Dublin a week before, while Limerick sent both the Banner and Premier to the qualifiers with comprehensive wins.
The Model County were stuffed by Galway, with manager Davy Fitzgerald upset at the application of his players, while Cork looked ragged at times as Waterford sent them packing.
“Listen I don’t care,” said Davy Fitz of the draw after the Galway clash. “Whatever draw we get is going to be a tough one.
“You’re going to get either Clare, Cork or Tipp so whatever you do from here on in you’re meeting a top quality side as good as we’ve met tonight. So that’s where you’re at.’
He did, however, accept that there is a test of character now in how his players react.
“Listen, there’s other teams that got the same thing. Tipperary got beaten in the Munster final last year pretty well (before winning the All-Ireland).
“I’m not really worried what the result is the next day, what I’ll be worried about is will we come out and will we f***ing fight, that’s the f***ing name of the game.
“I’m involved in hurling to compete, I’m not involved to just go out there put up the white flag and hand Galway a game like we did tonight.
“It’s absolutely horrendous and I’m not happy with it.”
Click play on the video at the top of the page to watch the discussion.
