Five of the six places in the knock-out stages of the Allianz Hurling League (Division 1) have been decided, leaving the final slot between Galway and Tipperary who meet in Pearse Stadium on Sunday (2.0).
Limerick, Waterford (Group A), Clare, Wexford and Kilkenny (Group B) are already through to the knock-out stages, with the Bannermen guaranteed a place in the semi-finals. They topped Group B after taking nine of a possible ten points. Wexford (8pts) and Kilkenny (7pts) will play the second and third-placed finishers in Group A.
Limerick (8pts) head Group A, followed by Waterford (6pts), with Tipperary and Galway both on four points.
A draw or a win against Waterford in the LIT Gaelic Grounds on Saturday night would secure a semi-final place for Limerick. If the Deise win, they will take the semi-final place on the head-to-head rule.
Limerick beat Waterford twice last year (1-24 to 0-19 in the Division 1 final and 2-24 to 0-10 in the Munster championship).
Galway v Tipperary will attract a big crowd to Pearse Stadium for what will be the first Allianz League clash between the counties since the 2017 final which the Tribesmen won easily. Their last competitive between the counties was in the 2017 All-Ireland semi-final, which the Tribesmen also won.
A draw next Sunday would be enough for Tipperary to advance to the quarter-finals as they have a superior scoring difference to Galway.
ALLIANZ DIVISION 1 RELEGATION PLAY-OFF: CARLOW OR WESTMEATH FOR THE DROP
There’s a tense week ahead for Carlow and Westmeath as they prepare for a Division 1 relegation play-off in TEG Cusack Park, Mullingar on Sunday (2.0).
Both sides lost all five games in Group A and B , with Carlow finishing on a -70 point scoring differential while Westmeath were on -59 points. They last met in the Allianz League in 2018 when Carlow won the 2A final, securing promotion to the top flight. Westmeath were promoted last year. Carlow also beat Westmeath in the 2018 Joe McDonagh Cup final.
ALLIANZ DIVISION 2A: OFFALY NEED WIN TO STAY IN PROMOTION HUNT
Antrim and Kerry are both on eight points, with Offaly on six points. However, Kerry have completed the five-game group programme, whereas Offaly and Antrim face-off against each other in Tullamore on Sunday (2.0) in a tie that was postponed due to bad weather last month.
A win for Michael Fennelly’s men would take them alongside Antrim and Kerry on eight points, guaranteeing them a place in the Allianz Division 2 final as they have a better scoring difference (currently 48 pts) than Kerry (27). Antrim are on +63 points after four games.
Kerry will be hoping that Antrim do them a favour by either winning or drawing against Offaly. If Offaly win they will face Antrim in the final, with the winners being promoted to Allianz Division 1 where they will replace either Westmeath or Carlow.
Antrim beat Offaly by two points in last year’s Joe McDonagh Cup.
2020 ALLIANZ HURLING LEAGUE: RESULTS & FIXTURES
DIVISION 1
GROUP A
Round 1: Limerick 2-14 Tipperary 0-18; Galway 1-24 Westmeath 0-10; Waterford 1-24 Cork 3-17.
Round 2: Cork 2-24 Tipperary 1-25; Waterford 3-18 Westmeath 1-15; Limerick 1-19 Galway 0-14.
Round 3: Cork 3-12 Westmeath 1-14; Galway v Tipperary – postponed; Limerick v Waterford – postponed.
Round 4: Waterford 0-17 Galway 0-16; Limerick 0-29 Cork 2-21; Tipperary 3-27 Westmeath 0-16.
Round 5: Galway 2-18 Cork 1-16; Limerick 1-24 Westmeath 0-18; Tipperary 0-24 Waterford 2-18.
GROUP B
Round 1: Wexford 2-27 Laois 2-16; Kilkenny 3-21 Dublin 0-18; Clare 1-27 Carlow 0-14.
Round 2: Dublin 4-18 Laois 2-17; Kilkenny 3-21 Carlow 0-9; Clare 0-18 Wexford 0-15.
Round 3: Dublin 0-20 Carlow 0-9; Clare 0-17 Laois 0-9; Wexford 1-16 Kilkenny 1-14.
Round 4: Wexford 2-14 Dublin 0-18; Laois 0-15 Carlow 0-14; Kilkenny 1-19 Clare 3-13.
Round 5: Clare 0-27 Dublin 1-15; Kilkenny 3-22 Laois 1-19; Wexford 2-29 Carlow 1-11.
QUARTER-FINALS - Mar 14/15: 2nd Group A v Kilkenny; 3rd Group A v Wexford SEMI-FINALS - Mar 21/22
FINAL - Mar 28/29
ALLIANZ LEAGUE DIVISION 1 RELEGATION PLAY-OFF
Next Sunday: Westmeath v Carlow, TEG Cusack Park.
