Limerick’s ambitions of winning the Allianz Hurling League (Div 1) title for a third successive year are over after taking only one point from a possible six in three games.
It leaves them four points behind Cork and three behind Galway, Tipperary and Waterford in Group A. Even if Limerick win their remaining two games (v Cork and Westmeath), it would only take them to five points and with Cork and Galway still to meet one of them will move on to six points or more. Tipperary and/or Waterford are also likely to finish on more than five points.
Cork lead the way in Group A on five points, one ahead of Tipperary, Galway and Waterford. It’s equally tight in Group B where only two points separate the top five. However, Kilkenny and Wexford have played a game less than the others, after their scheduled clash was called off at the weekend.
ALLIANZ HURLING LEAGUE SHORTS
*Cork have landed a total of 14-65 in their opening three games, making them by far the biggest scorers in Division 1. They have beaten Waterford and Westmeath and drew with Tipperary in what is their best start to the League since 2010. They last won the title in 1998.
*Reigning All-Ireland and Allianz League champions, Limerick (two defeats and a daw) are one of three teams without a win in Division 1 so far, the others being Westmeath and Laois, who have both lost their opening three games.
*Offaly are making an impressive bid to return to Division 1, having won their first three games in 2A by a combined total of 48 points. It has taken them to the top of the table ahead of their remaining two games against Down (June 6) and Wicklow (June 13). Kerry and Down (4pts each) are Offaly’s closest pursuers.
TOP SCORERS ALLIANZ HURLING LEAGUE DIVISION 1
Donal Burke (Dublin)............0-32 (0-24 frees, 0-3 ‘65s’)
Jason Forde (Tipperary).........1-29 (0-25 frees, 0-1 ‘65’)
Patrick Horgan (Cork)............3-22 (0-15 frees, 0-3 ‘65s’)
Evan Niland (Galway)..............0-30 (0-26 frees)
Aidan McCarthy (Clare).........1-22 (0-16 frees, 0-1 ‘65’)
Ciaran Clarke (Antrim)..........2-17 (0-15 frees, 0-1 ‘65’)
Stephen Bennett (Waterford)..1-20 (0-12 frees, 0-3 ‘65s’)
PJ Scully (Laois)........................0-22 (0-18 frees, 0-2 ‘65s’)
ALLIANZ HURLING LEAGUE 2021: RESULTS & FIXTURES
DIVISION 1 GROUP A
Round 1: Galway 5-34 Westmeath 1-16; Limerick 0-20 Tipperary 0-20; Cork 5-22 Waterford 1-27.
Round 2: Tipperary 0-22 Cork 2-16; Waterford 1-22 Westmeath 1-19; Galway 0-26 Limerick 1-17.
Round 3: Tipperary 2-19 Galway 0-20; Cork 7-27 Westmeath 0-15; Waterford 1-22 Limerick 0-21.
Round 4: June 5: Limerick v Cork; June 6: Westmeath v Tipperary; Galway v Waterford.
Round 5: June 13: Westmeath v Limerick; Waterford v Tipperary; Cork v Galway.
DIVISION 1 GROUP B
Round 1: Kilkenny 1-20 Dublin 0-18; Antrim 1-21 Clare 0-22; Wexford 4-17 Laois 0-10.
Round 2: Dublin 0-30 Laois 1-19; Wexford 2-19 Clare 1-21; Kilkenny 1-28 Antrim 3-15.
Round 3: Dublin 1-26 Antrim 1-18; Kilkenny v Wexford - postponed; Clare 2-27 Laois 1-17.
Round 4: June 5: Antrim v Wexford; Dublin v Clare; June 6: Kilkenny v Laois.
Round 5: June 12: Antrim v Laois; Clare v Kilkenny; Wexford v Dublin.
DIVISION 2A
Round 1: Kerry 4-18 Down 0-19; Offaly 3-25 Meath 3-9; Carlow 3-19 Wicklow 0-17.
Round 2: Meath 0-20 Wicklow 0-11; Down 3-20 Carlow 3-18; Offaly 2-28 Kerry 0-13.
Round 3: Kerry 1-24 Meath 0-24; Offaly 2-25 Carlow 1-17; Down 3-26 Wicklow 0-14.
Round 4: June 5: Kerry v Wicklow; June 6: Offaly v Down; Meath v Carlow.
Round 5: June 13: Wicklow v Offaly; Down v Meath; Carlow v Kerry.
DIVISION 2B
Round 1: Donegal 1-13 Roscommon 1-11; Mayo 0-21 Derry 1-16.
Round 2: Kildare 4-29 Donegal 0-14; Mayo 1-20 Roscommon 1-9.
Round 3: Donegal 4-18 Mayo 0-13; Kildare 5-17 Derry 1-14.
Round 4: June 6: Roscommon v Kildare; Derry v Donegal.
Round 5: June 12: Mayo v Kildare; Derry v Roscommon.
DIVISION 3A
Round 1: Armagh 2-21 Longford 0-16; Tyrone 1-25 Monaghan 2-13
Round 2: Sligo 2-24 Armagh 1-18; Longford 2-22 Tyrone 2-22.
Round 3: May 29: Sligo v Longford; May 30: Monaghan v Armagh.
Round 4: June 12: Tyrone v Sligo; Longford v Monaghan.
Round 5: June 1: Monaghan v Sligo; Armagh v Tyrone.
DIVISION 3B
Round 1: Cavan 1-19 Fermanagh 2-16; Louth1-16 Leitrim 2-11.
Round 2: Fermanagh 1-19 Leitrim 1-11; Louth 0-19 Cavan 2-12.
Round 3: June 6: Leitrim v Cavan; Louth v Fermanagh.
