Cork and Limerick will approach Sunday's National Hurling League semi-finals in Thurles knowing that if they beat Clare and Waterford respectively, they will be set up for two crucial matches against each other before the end of May.

The National League final is fixed for May 17th and their Munster championship first round clash will follow on May 31st, a prospect which does not necessarily excite either side.

Yet the Cork manager, Jimmy Barry Murphy, dismisses any problem with the well-worn sports cliche: "We are taking it one game at a time" and who can blame him?

Both sides have had some problems with the availability of players. However, Michael Daly from Cobh is included in the Cork side at midfield although he will not return from his honeymoon in Tenerife until Saturday, while the Limerick goalkeeper, Joe Quaid will marry on Saturday but will postpone his honeymoon until Monday.

Cork introduce a number of players to their side whom they hope will be looking to for the future. These include John Browne, a brother of full forward Alan and Richard who played a couple of years ago.

Meanwhile the date and venue for the Leinster championship match between Dublin and Kilkenny would appear to have drifted towards its own solution. It now seems certain that it will be played in Parnell Park on Sunday, May 31st.

The Dublin and Kilkenny county boards of the GAA have already agreed a home and away basis for their hurling championship clashes and, with the attendance limit at Parnell Park set at less than 10,000, an all-ticket match is inevitable. There was some concern in Kilkenny circles that their first appearance in Parnell Park since the extensive renovations there, have been set aside with the decision to fix the National Hurling League relegation match against Antrim there for next Saturday which will provide the Kilkenny players with an ideal opportunity to familiarise themselves with the ground.