In a reimagining of the traditional rivalry, Limerick will face off against Tipperary at the SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh stadium in Cork on Saturday. This match will be broadcast live on RTÉ2 at 7.35pm as part of the Division 1B. The teams are temporarily relocated to Cork due to construction at the Ennis Road venue. Over the past six years, Tipperary has struggled to secure a win against Limerick in the league and their track record in the championship hasn’t been great either, with only a single win post that period.
However, with Liam Cahill’s guidance, Tipp is demonstrating gradual improvement, despite being surprisingly soft-handed against Westmeath in their last encounter. This game will see them fortified by the presence of Jake Morris and Bryan O’Mara, both now recovered from injuries incurred during their match against Galway. Additional changes will also enhance the team strength.
Limerick’s manager, John Kiely, is counterbalancing by roping in some seasoned players to make their season debut. This includes top performers from Patrickswell; Cian Lynch, Diarmaid Byrnes, and Aaron Gillane. The current All-Ireland champions face a challenging schedule ahead, but they excel when put to the test. Verdict: Limerick
At 3.30pm at TEG Cusack Park, Westmeath will play against Antrim, looking to redeem their relegation from the Leinster Championship in May at the hands of Antrim. Westmeath will rely on strong performances from their key players including Noel Conaty and David Williams. Verdict: Westmeath
Other matches over the weekend include Division 2A’s Kildare vs Kerry at Hawkfield at 2.0pm, Division 3A’s Cavan vs Armagh at Kingspan Breffni at 1.45pm, and Division 3B’s Fermanagh vs Lancashire at Brewster Park and Longford vs Leitrim at Glennon Brothers Pearse Park, both matches at 2.0pm on Sunday.
Division 1A matches will also take place on Sunday.
Waterford will face off against Wexford in a crucial game at Walsh Park, which is scheduled to be broadcast live on TG4 at 3.30. This match-up could potentially decide who will move into the premier division next year. The victorious team is assured a minimum of a fourth-place finish, contingent, of course, on the result of the Dublin vs Galway match in 1B.
Regrettably, both squads have suffered from a plethora of injuries and there are no signs of this letting up in the foreseeable future. Much attention is centred around Lee Chin’s hamstring issue. Nevertheless, if he can play without exacerbating his injury, he could feature in the line-up for Wexford. Despite three draws, Wexford remains unbeaten, albeit, they’ve slipped three points.
Waterford has been bolstered by the return of Jamie Barron and Peter Hogan against Cork, although managerial staff was left fuming by the team’s now familiar slump in the third quarter. The home team have two chances, including this one, to utilise their home advantage. Verdict: Waterford is likely to come out on top.
Cusack Park in Ennis will witness a clash of the titans, as divisional leaders Clare will meet Kilkenny at 1.30. The victors are expected to battle it out in the final. Despite having some rugged games, Clare remains undefeated, even after an unexpected inability to overcome Wexford, a failure shared by their adversaries.
Manager Brian Lohan has been evaluating potential newcomers during the open Fitzgibbon window and was particularly taken by goalkeeper Cian Broderick’s recent performance. Following two prior semi-final All-Ireland losses to their foes, one can speculate that Clare will be bringing an increased drive to the table.
Their last league encounter was three years ago when Clare prevailed. As both teams have drawn against Wexford and vanquished Cork, it’s expected to be a nail-biter. Nevertheless, Kilkenny had to put in a lot of effort to defeat Offaly but they were comforted by the form of Adrian Mullen. Lohan now has a stronger team at his disposal compared to recent weeks, and they seem ready for the challenge. Verdict: Clare could edge their rivals out.
The original text: Offaly will clash with Cork at Glenisk O’Connor Park at 1.15, and you can watch it deferred on TG4 or live-stream on the TG4 player. Offaly has shown commendable competition in this division so far, managing to secure a point against Wexford and presenting a solid challenge to Kilkenny in their most recent encounter. Cork found their rhythm against Waterford, with Pat Ryan reintroducing Damien Cahalane and Séamus Harnedy for their campaign’s initial matches. Charlie Mitchell from Offaly has been performing well, however, maintaining a steady performance for the full 70 minutes still proves to be a struggle. Prediction: Cork is likely to win.
In the Division 1B, Galway is set to play against Dublin at Pearse Stadium at 1.30. Despite this game potentially being a defining moment, the difference in recent performances between both teams is stark, making it hard to predict a Dublin victory under the leadership of Micheál Donoghue. A win would significantly boost Dublin’s chances of grabbing the third position based on head-to-head, but Galway’s performance has been imposing in matches where they have an advantage, such as this one. Prediction: Galway has the upper hand.
In Division 2A, Meath will be playing Laois at Pairc Tailteann at 2.0, while Carlow faces Down at Netwatch Cullen Park at 2.0.
For the Division 2B, Roscommon will meet Donegal at Dr Hyde Park at 2.0. Wicklow is set to play against Derry in Aughrim at 1.0 and London will be hosting Tyrone in Ruislip at 1.0.
Division 3A will see Sligo versus Monaghan in Markievicz Park at 2.0, and Mayo encountering Louth in Hastings MacHale Park at 2.0.
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