Allianz National Hurling League- How things stand in Division 1 ahead of Round 4 this weekend

ALL-IRELAND CHAMPIONS OUT OF CONTENTION FOR ALLIANZ LEAGUE TITLE

All-Ireland champions, Limerick are out of contention for this year’s Allianz hurling League (Division 1) title after losing their first three games to Wexford, Galway and Cork. John Kiely’s squad, who won the League crown in 2019 and 2020, have fallen six points behind Cork and Wexford and with only two rounds remaining they cannot catch the leaders even if they win their final two games against Clare and Offaly.

The action continues in all divisions next weekend, with the final round of group games on March 20.

ALLIANZ HURLING LEAGUE DIVISION 1: GROUP A: CORK AND WEXFORD TO CLINCH SEMI-FINALS PLACES?

Saturday: Wexford v Offaly, Chadwicks Wexford Park, 2.0; Cork v Galway, Pairc Ui Chaoimh, 7.0.

Sunday: Clare v Limerick, Ennis, 1.45

Cork and Wexford will secure places in the semi-finals ahead of the final round if they beat Galway and Offaly respectively. Wins would take them to eight points and out of reach of their pursuers.

Wexford will be well-fancied to achieve their first target for the season (Div 1 semi-finals) when they face Offaly, who have lost their opening three games to Galway, Cork and Clare. It has been a difficult return to Division 1 for Michael Fennelly’s men and it will get no easier against the in-form Wexford men. This will be the first League clash between the counties since 2017 when Wexford won by five points.

Cork have won their first three games (Clare, Offaly, Limerick) by an average of 12 points, leaving them in a very positive frame of mind ahead of the visit by Galway on Saturday. Wexford ended Galway’s winning run last weekend and now Henry Shefflin’s men are battling for survival in the race to clinch a semi-final place. Galway beat Cork by five points in last year’s League.

Clare and Limerick meet in the group League games for the first time since 2019 when they finished level. Clare need to win to have any chance of remaining in contention for a semi-final place.

ALLIANZ HURLING LEAGUE DIVISION 1 GROUP B: ONE POINT SEPARATES TOP FOUR

Saturday: Dublin v Kilkenny, Parnell Park, 5.0.

Sunday: Waterford v Tipperary, Walsh Park, 1.45; Laois v Antrim, MW Hire O’Moore Park, 1.45

It was always likely to be a competitive race among the leading four and so it’s proving with only one point separating  Waterford, Dublin (five each), Kilkenny and Tipperary (four each). Antrim and Laois are cut adrift, with either yet to take a point.

Dublin host Kilkenny in Parnell Park on Saturday, hoping to avenge two defeats last year. Kilkenny beat them by five points in the Allianz League and by nine points in the Leinster final.

Waterford v Tipperary is one of the highlights of the weekend programme and will draw a big crowd to Walsh Park. Waterford beat Tipp by 2-29 to 3-21 in last year’s League.

Antrim have been quite unlucky to far, losing their opening three games against Kilkenny, Dublin and Waterford by three, four and two point margins.  Laois tested Tipperary all the way in the first round, losing by four points, but have since suffered 33 and 17-point defeats against Waterford and Kilkenny.

Their clash with Antrim will decide who finishes bottom of the table and faces a relegation play-off.  Antrim beat Laois by four points in last year’s League.

ALLIANZ HURLING LEAGUE DIVISION 1 GROUP A

Round 1: Cork 2-30 Clare 2-21; Wexford 1-11 Limerick 0-11; Galway 4-22 Offaly 0-17

 Round 2: Galway 0-27 Limerick 1-18; Wexford 2-20 Clare 1-20; Cork 4-25 Offaly 1-15.

 Round 3: Wexford 2-15 Galway 0-15; Clare 4-20 Offaly 0-16; Cork 2-19 Limerick 1-13.

Round 4: Mar 5: Cork v Galway; Mar 6: Clare v Limerick; Wexford v Offaly.

Round 5: Mar 20:  Galway v Clare; Limerick v Offaly; Wexford v Cork.

ALLIANZ HURLING LEAGUE DIVISION 1 GROUP B

Round 1:  Tipperary 0-21 Laois 1-14; Kilkenny 2-15 Antrim 3-9; Dublin 0-21 Waterford 2-15

Round 2: Dublin 2-19 Antrim 2-15; Waterford 7-31 Laois 0-19; Tipperary 1-19 Kilkenny 1-18.

Round 3: Dublin 2-16 Tipperary 0-21; Waterford 3-21 Antrim 2-22; Kilkenny 2-28 Laois 0-17.

Round 4: Mar 5: Dublin v Kilkenny; Mar 6: Waterford v Tipperary; Laois v Antrim.

Round 5: Mar 20: Kilkenny v Waterford; Laois v Dublin; Tipperary v Antrim.