THE FIRST BIG hurling showdown of the summer takes place next Sunday with Clare and Limerick facing off in Thurles.

It’s the start of the Munster senior hurling championship and the previous night the counties clash in the Munster senior football championship.

There’s also Connacht and Ulster football ties on Sunday as well as crucial Leinster hurling round-robin ties.

Here’s the fixtures to keep an eye on this week.

Wednesday

Leinster JFC 
Wexford v Wicklow, Bellefield, Enniscorthy, 7.30pm
Longford v Kildare, Glennon Brothers Pearse Park, 7.30pm
Louth v Cavan, Gaelic Grounds, Drogheda, 7.30pm

Saturday

Munster
SFC quarter-final
Clare v Limerick, Cusack Park, Ennis, 7pm, (Ref: Derek O’Mahoney, Tipperary)
JFC quarter-final
Clare v Limerick, Cusack Park, Ennis, 5pm

Clare's Enda Coughlan and Limerick's Darragh Treacy are in opposition this weekend. Morgan Treacy / INPHO Morgan Treacy / INPHO / INPHO

Christy Ring Cup 
Quarter-finals
Meath v Kildare, Trim, 2pm
Down v London, Ballycran, 4pm
Relegation playoff
Wicklow v Mayo, Cusack Park, Mullingar, 1pm

Nicky Rackard Cup
Semi-finals
Tyrone v Roscommon, Carrickmore, 3pm
Armagh v Donegal, Athletic Grounds, 4pm
Relegation playoff
Louth v Longford, Cusack Park, Mullingar, 3pm

Lory Meagher Cup
Round 1
Lancashire v Sligo, Páirc na hÉireann, 3pm
Fermanagh v Leitrim, Brewster Park, Enniskillen, 5pm

Sunday

Connacht SFC quarter-final
London v Roscommon, Ruislip, 3pm, (Ref: Eddie Kinsella, Laois)

Roscommon football boss John Evans. Lorraine O'Sullivan / INPHO Lorraine O'Sullivan / INPHO / INPHO

Leinster SHC Round-Robin
Round 3
Carlow v Antrim, Netwatch Cullen Park, 2pm, (Ref: Cathal McAllister, Cork)
Laois v Westmeath, O’Moore Park, Portlaoise, 2pm, (Ref: Alan Kelly, Galway)

Westmeath boss Michael Ryan and coach Michael Walsh after their recent win over Antrim. Tommy Grealy / INPHO Tommy Grealy / INPHO / INPHO

Munster
SHC quarter-final
Clare v Limerick, Semple Stadium, Thurles, 4pm, (Live RTÉ 2), (Ref: Colm Lyons, Cork)
IHC quarter-final
Clare v Limerick, Semple Stadium, Thurles, 2pm

Ulster
SFC quarter-final
Cavan v Monaghan, Kingspan Breffni Park, 2pm, (Live RTÉ 2), (Ref: Padraig Hughes, Armagh)
MFC quarter-final
Cavan v Monaghan, Kingspan Breffni Park, 12.15pm

Monaghan's Darren Hughes and Cavan's Ronan Flanagan face off next Sunday. Morgan Treacy / INPHO Morgan Treacy / INPHO / INPHO

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