O'Connor Park, Tullamore will host a historic occasion on Saturday evening when Galway contest their first GAA Leinster senior hurling championship semi-final. They previously competed in the Munster championship in 1959-69 where they won just one of 12 games but that was before they re-emerged as a powerful force, a status they have enjoyed for the last 35 years. Adding to the anticipation of what should be a great occasion is the fact that Galway's semi-final opposition will be provided by Kilkenny, who are setting out on the road to what they hope will lead to the All-Ireland four-in-a-row, something never previously achieved by Kilkenny and achieved only once in championship history by Cork in 1941-42-43-44. Nowlan Park, Kilkenny will host the second Leinster semi-final on Sunday when Dublin take on Wexford for a place in the final on July 5. Limerick and Waterford replay in the Munster semi-final in Thurles on Saturday evening while Clare and Tipperary meet in the second semi-final in the Gaelic Grounds on Sunday. GALWAY v KILKENNY This will be the 33rd championship meeting between the teams with Kilkenny having won 24 to Galway's 8 of the previous 32. Galway last beat Kilkenny in 2005 when they won an amazing All-Ireland semi-final clash by a goal. Galway are the only county to have beaten Kilkenny twice in the championship during this decade, having won All-Ireland semi-finals in 2001 and 2005. Games between these counties are usually very high scoring with Kilkenny especially productive. They have scored a total of 13-82 (average 3-22) in their last four games against Galway but Galway can boast of the biggest tally having hit Kilkenny for 5-18 in 2005. Kilkenny are chasing their fifth successive Leinster title and their 9th of the decade. Last Five Championship Clashes 2007: Kilkenny 3-22 Galway 1-18 (All-Ireland quarter-final) 2006: Kilkenny 2-22 Galway 3-14 (All-Ireland quarter-final) 2005: Galway 5-18 Kilkenny 4-18 (All-Ireland semi-final) 2004: Kilkenny 4-20 Galway 1-10 (All-Ireland qualifiers) 2001: Galway 2-15 Kilkenny 1-13 (All-Ireland semi-final) Last Championship Clash Kilkenny 3-22 Galway 1-18 (2007 All-Ireland quarter-final) The winning margin is somewhat deceptive as it was only in the final eight minutes that Kilkenny pulled clear in a game that had been very close for more than an hour. Henry Shefflin (0-8) and Eddie Brennan (2-2) were Kilkenny's top scorers while Kerill Wade scored 0-7 for Galway. Last Clash Kilkenny 1-20 Galway 0-12 (NHL: 8 March 2009) Having beaten Galway in extra-time in the Walsh Cup final earlier in the season, Kilkenny had a much easier time in the League, winning by 11 points in Pearse Stadium. Richie Power (1-4) was Kilkenny's top scorer while Ger Farragher landed 0-6 for Galway. Story so far Galway 5-29 Laois 0-17 (Leinster quarter-final) Kilkenny are having their first championship outing. LIMERICK v WATERFORD It's back to Thurles on Saturday evening for the Munster semi-final replay after the sides drew last Sunday. It's the second time in six years that the counties have replayed a semi-final with Waterford having triumphed by two points second time around in 2003. Last Five Championship Clashes 2009: Limerick 1-8 Waterford 0-11 (Munster semi-final) 2007: Limerick 5-11 Waterford 2-15 (All-Ireland semi-final) 2007: Waterford 3-17 Limerick 1-14 (Munster final) 2003: Waterford 1-12 Limerick 0-13 (Munster semi-final) Replay 2003: Waterford 4-13 Limerick 4-13 (Munster semi-final) Draw Last Five Championship Replays Limerick 2006: Limerick 0-22 Tipperary 2-13 (Munster semi-final) (Second replay -after extra-time) 2006: Limerick 1-24 Tipperary 2-21 (Munster semi-final) (Replay - after extra time) 2005: Tipperary 2-13 Limerick 0-18 (Munster quarter-final) after extra-time. 2003: Waterford 1-13 Limerick 0-14 (Munster semi-final) 1996: Limerick 4-7 Tipperary 0-16 (Munster final) Won 2, Drew 1, Lost 2. Waterford 2007: Waterford 2-17 Cork 0-20 (All-Ireland quarter-final) 2003: Waterford 1-13 Limerick 0-14 (Munster semi-final) 1998: Clare 2-16 Waterford 0-10 (Munster final) 1992: Waterford 0-16 Clare 0-14 (Munster quarter-final) 1989: Waterford 5-16 Cork 4-17 (Munster semi-final) Won 4, Lost 1. DUBLIN v WEXFORD They meet for the fourth time in two years. Wexford won by three points in a replay last year and also prevailed by a point a year earlier. Wexford are bidding to reach the Leinster final for the 9th successive year while Dublin are attempting to reach their first final since 1991. Dublin last beat Wexford in the championship in 1990 when they won a Leinster semi-final by 2-16 to 1-17. Last Five Championship Clashes 2008: Wexford 2-15 Dublin 1-15 (Leinster semi-final) Replay 2008: Wexford 2-13 Dublin 0-19 (Leinster semi-final) (Draw) 2007: Wexford 2-14 Dublin 3-10 (Leinster semi-final) 2002: Wexford 3-15 Dublin 2-12 (Leinster semi-final) 1999: Wexford 1-13 Dublin 1-12 (Leinster quarter-final) Last Championship Clash Wexford 2-15 Dublin 1-15 (2008 Leinster semi-final replay) After drawing a week earlier, Wexford got it right second time when they edged out Dublin by three points. Rory Jacob (1-2), Diarmuid Lyng (0-4) and Stephen Banville (1-1) were Wexford's top scorers while David O'Callaghan scored 1-8 for Dublin. CLARE v TIPPERARY Reigning Munster champions, Tipperary got their campaign off to a great start with a three point win over Cork in the Munster quarter-final whereas Clare will be having their first outing. Clare have lost their last two championship clashes with Tipperary, leaving them seeking their first win over their great rivals since 2003. Tipperary had eight points to spare over Clare in last year's Munster final and were seven points clear in the League clash last March. Last Five Championship Clashes 2008: Tipperary 2-21 Clare 0-19 (Munster final) 2005: Tipperary 2-14 Clare 0-14 (Munster semi-final) 2003: Clare 2-17 Tipperary 0-14 (Munster quarter-final) 2002: Tipperary 1-18 Clare 2-13 (Munster quarter-final) 2001: Tipperary 0-15 Clare 0-14 (Munster semi-final) Last Championship Clash Tipperary 2-21 Clare 0-19 (2008 Munster final) John O'Brien (1-4), Eoin Kelly (0-6) and Seamus Callanan (1-3) were Tipperary's main marksmen as they won their first Munster title since 2001. Last Clash Tipperary 0-23 Clare 0-16 (NHL: 1 March 2009) Seamus Callanan (0-9) and Willie Ryan (0-7) did most of the damage for Tipperary who ran out seven point winners in Semple Stadium, 2009 GAA HURLING CHAMPIONHIPS Leinster May 30: First round: Wexford 2-17 Offaly 0-16, Wexford Park. May 31: First Round: Galway 5-29 Laois 0-17, Portlaoise. June 7: First Round: Dublin 2-16 Antrim 0-12, Croke Park. Next Saturday: Semi-final: Galway v Kilkenny, Tullamore. Next Sunday: Dublin v Wexford, Nowlan Park. July 5: Final, Croke Park. Munster May 31: First round: Tipperary 1-19 Cork 0-19, Thurles. June 14: Semi-final: Limerick 1-8 Waterford 0-11, Semple Stadium. Next Saturday: Semi-final replay: Limerick v Waterford, Semple Stadium. Next Sunday: Semi-final: Clare v Tipperary, Limerick. July 12: Final, Thurles. Ulster May 9: First round: Fermanagh 0-13 Cavan 1-9, Enniskillen; Armagh 1-22 Monaghan 1-8, Armagh; Donegal 1-21 Tyrone 0-6, Letterkenny. May 17: Second Round: Armagh 3-24 Donegal 2-12. May 23: London 1-23 Fermanagh 0-7, Ruislip. May 31: Quarter-finals: Derry 4-10 London 3-12; Down 5-21 Armagh 0-13. (Both in Casement Park). June 14: Semi-final: Down 2-17 Derry 1-15, Casement Park. June 28: Final: Antrim v Down, Casement Park. All-Ireland Qualifiers July 4: Phase One: Cork, Laois, Offaly, Antrim will play off to provide two winners to advance to Phase Three. July 11: Phase Two: The beaten provincial semi-finalists in Leinster (Galway or Kilkenny; Dublin or Wexford) and Munster (Limerick or Waterford; Clare or Tipperary) play off to provide two winners to advance to Phase Three. Teams from the same province will not be paired against each other in Phase Two. July 18: Phase Three: The two winners from Phase One will play the two winners from Phase Two. All-Ireland Quarter-finals July 25/26: Beaten Leinster finalists v Winner from Phase Three; Beaten Munster finalists v Winners from Phase Three. All-Ireland semi-finals August 9: Leinster champions v Quarter final winners, Croke Park. August 16: Munster champions v Quarter-final winners, Croke Park. September 6: All-Ireland final, Croke Park. Tweet

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