It’s getting to the business end of the Allianz Hurling League with Round 4 (of five) to be played next weekend, prior to the completion of the group games on the following weekend.
==
ALLIANZ HURLING LEAGUE DIVISION 1 GROUP A (ROUND 4): TABLE-TOPPING CORK TO ADD TO LIMERICK’S WOES?
Saturday: Limerick v Cork, LIT Gaelic Grounds, 7.15; Sunday: Westmeath v Tipperary, TEG Cusack Park, 2.0; Galway v Waterford, Pearse Stadium 3.45.
Limerick v Cork is a real glamour tie as the reigning Allianz League and All-Ireland champions host the table-topping Rebels (5 pts). Having taken only one point from a possible six, Limerick can’t retain the League title and are in urgent need of a morale-boosting win against opposition they will meet again in the Munster semi-final on July 3.
Limerick beat Cork by two points in last year’s League, while the Rebels won by three points in 2019. Cork scored a total of 14-65 in their first three games this year against Waterford, Tipperary and Westmeath.
Galway, Tipperary and Waterford (all on four points) will be hoping for wins and a Cork slip-up to give themselves a chance of leading the table heading into the final round. Tipperary look well-placed to maintain their unbeaten run away to Westmeath, who have lost all three games so far by a combined total of 66 points.
Waterford have done well against Galway in recent times, beating them in their last three League meetings as follows: 2019: Waterford 1-18 Galway 2-13 (Group game); Waterford 1-18 Galway 0-19 ( semi-final); 2020: Waterford 0-17 Galway 0-16 (Group game).
==
ALLIANZ HURLING LEAGUE DIVISION 1 GROUP B (ROUND 4): KILKENNY TAKE CONTROL
Saturday: Antrim v Wexford, Corrigan Park; Dublin v Clare, Parnell Park, 5.15; Sunday: Kilkenny v Laois, UPMC Nowlan Park, 1.45.
Kilkenny’s win over Wexford on Sunday took them to the head of the table, having won all three games, a run they will be fancied to extend when they host Laois, who lost their first three games. Kilkenny, the only team in Division 1 to have won their first three games, beat Laois by nine points in last year’s League.
Wexford (4 pts) head to Belfast to take on Antrim (2pts) in what will the first League clash between the counties since 2015 when the Model men won by a point. Clare (one win from three games) will be away to Dublin (two wins). The Banner men beat Dublin by nine points in last year’s League.
==
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)
TJ Reid (Kilkenny)....................1-25 (0-20 frees, 0-2 ‘65s’)
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: 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.
