The battle for Liam McCarthy will be fierce in 2017

All-Ireland champions Tipperary will begin the defence of Liam McCarthy in a Munster quarter-final meeting with Cork.

Derek McGrath's Waterford will face the winners of that encounter in the last four in Munster.

"It's a tough enough draw," Waterford's Austin Glesson told RTE.

"Last year was a good year for us. One slip and you could end up in the qualifiers and that is the last place you want to be."

The new Clare management team of Donal Moloney and Gerry O'Connor will being a new era with the Banner against Limerick in a Munster semi-final, who also have a new manager in the shape of John Kiely.

Meath compete in the Leinster championship since 2004 after their Christy Ring Cup triumph earlier this year and join Westmeath, Laois and Kerry in the qualifier group.

Micheál O'Donoghue's Galway, who came very close to toppling Tipp in their All-Ireland semi-final in August have been drawn against Ger Cunningham's Dublin.

The winners of that meeting will face Offaly, who are yet to appoint a new manager, or one of the qualifier teams.

New Wexford manager Davy Fitzgerald will face one of the qualifier teams in their last eight clash and Kilkenny are lurking in the last four for the winners.

"Davy will be sitting at home tonight thinking that is brilliant. He has been wanting to pit his wits against Brian Cody," Henry Shefflin told RTE.

HURLING

Leinster

Qualifier Group

Laois, Westmeath, Meath, Kerry

Quarter-finals

Galway v Dublin (A)

Offaly v Qualifier 1 (B)

Wexford v Qualifier 2(C)

Semi-finals

Kilkenny v Wexford/Qualifier winner or runner-up

Galway/Dublin v Offaly/Qualifer winner or runner-up

Munster

Quarter-final

Cork v Tipperary

Semi-finals

Limerick v Clare

Waterford v Cork/Tipperary

Online Editors