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Kilkenny and Tipperary are both safely through to this year’s All-Ireland semi-finals, having won their respective provincial championships.

Kilkenny head to Croke Park this Sunday for a repeat of the 2009 Leinster final clash with Dublin, on that occasion the Cats claimed their 66th title. Dublin hurled with their usual gusto but the Cats still won with a bit up their sleeve. Martin Comerford was the two goal hero on that sunny afternoon.

The bookies are confident who will emerge victorious between Galway and Clare this Saturday evening in the All-Ireland hurling phase two tie at Pearse Stadium at 7pm.

Before a ball was pucked in this year’s championship I predicted that the better quality games might come in the race for the Bob O'Keeffe Cup. So far I've been off the mark, after watching six championship games, three in each Province, the higher intensity and more enjoyable clashes have come from the Munster action. I may have got all my predictions right last weekend but I didn't see the games panning out the way they did.

The Galway hurlers face their first major test of the 2011 championship when they play Dublin in the Leinster championship semi-final on Saturday evening in O’Connor Park in Tullamore (7pm).

If last Sunday’s hurling action is anything to go by we are in for one hell of a summer. After watching some tame games during the league I must admit I was worried that we would live in the shadow of football again this year. However, after last Sunday it looks as though the hurlers can give the big ball players a good run for their money this year.

The big three Kilkenny, Cork, and Tipperary have dominated the hurling scene for quite some time now, you have to go back to 1998 when the last non-superpower of hurling, Offaly, won the Liam McCarthy. Thirteen teams have ambitions to derail the current champions Tipperary but realistically only a handful have the talent to do so.

In recent years Semple Stadium has become the spiritual home for the National Hurling League Final. Geographically it probably suited all participating counties. However with the Dubs reaching the final for the first time since 1946 the authorities in HQ have in one way made a constructive effort to attract a big crowd by holding it in Croke Park only to shoot themselves in the foot with the admission fee of €25.

Last weekend’s game between Kilkenny and Waterford was far from a classic, it was one of those start stop encounters that just never got going. Cork referee Sexton was whistle happy but in his defence having watched the match again on TV a lot of his calls were justified.

This Sunday in Parnell Park the Galway hurlers will face Dublin in a crucial tie which could decide the 2011 league finalists.