Kilkenny fixtures confirmed for upcoming Leinster Hurling Championship

The date, venues and times have been confirmed ahead of Kilkenny defending their Leinster Senior Hurling Championship title in a couple of months time.

The Cats will be at home in the Marble City on two occasions for games against arch rivals Wexford and Brian Dowling's Kildare as they also travel to face Galway, Offaly and Dublin.

It's a tough schedule of five games in six weeks and the slight schedule change mean Kilkenny will start and end with difficult trips to Pearse Stadium and Parnell Park and how they perform in both of those ties will largely dictate their finishing position.

Read Next- PICTURES: Callan end long wait for Leinster title

The full list of fixtures is as follows:

Leinster Hurling Championship Fixtures

Saturday April 18th-  Galway v Kilkenny in Pearse Stadium, Salthill at 4.30pm

Saturday April 25th- Kilkenny v Wexford in UPMC Nowlan Park at 6.30pm

Sunday May 10th- Offaly v Kilkenny in Glenisk O'Connor Park, Tullamore at 3pm

Saturday May 16th- Kilkenny v Kildare in UPMC Nowlan Park at 6pm

Sunday May 24th- Dublin v Kilkenny in Parnell Park at 2pm

Saturday June 6th- Leinster SHC Final in Croke Park at 6pm