CROKE PARK AND THURLES HOST BIG HURLING ACTION
It’s Leinster and Munster final weekend, with the action split between Croke Park on Saturday, when Galway play Kilkenny, and Sunday, when Clare play Limerick in FBD Semple Stadium.
The Joe McDonagh Cup final completes the hurling line-up, with Antrim taking on Kerry in Croke Park on Saturday.
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Saturday
Joe McDonagh Cup Final: Antrim v Kerry, Croke Park, 4.30
Leinster Final: Galway v Kilkenny, Croke Park, 7.0
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Sunday
Munster Final: Clare v Limerick, FBD Semple Stadium, 4.0
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GALWAY v KILKENNY
Kilkenny are bidding for a third successive Leinster title while Galway last won in 2018. Kilkenny won three and lost two games in the ‘round robin’ while Galway won four and drew one of their five games.
HOW THEY REACHED THE FINAL - GALWAY
Galway 1-19 Wexford 1-19
Galway 3-36 Westmeath 1-17
Galway 1-24 Kilkenny 3-17
Galway 2-37 Laois 0-21
Galway 0-27 Dublin 0-21
Played 5, Won 4, Drew 1.
Top scorers – Galway
Conor Cooney…........1-41 (0-32 frees, 1-0 pen, 0-2 ‘65s’)
Joseph Cooney…......2-15
Cathal Mannion…....0-18
Tom Monaghan…....0-14
Conor Whelan….......1-10
HOW THEY REACHED THE FINAL – KILKENNY
Kilkenny 5-23 Westmeath 1-19
Kilkenny 2-34 Laois 1-14
Galway 1-24 Kilkenny 3-17
Kilkenny 3-25 Dublin 0-17
Wexford 1-22 Kilkenny 1-18
Played 5, Won 3, Lost 2
Top Scorers – Kilkenny
TJ Reid…...............2-34 (0-24 frees, 0-2 ‘65s’)
Eoin Cody…...........2-10
Adrian Mullen…....0-16
Austin Murphy….....0-15 (0-10 frees)
Walter Walsh….......1-10
LAST FIVE CHAMPIONSHIP MEETINGS
2022: Galway 1-24 Kilkenny 3-17 (Leinster round robin)
2020: Kilkenny 2-20 Galway 0-24 (Leinster final)
2019: Galway 3-20 Kilkenny 2-22 (Leinster round robin)
2018: Galway 1-28 Kilkenny 3-15 (Leinster final) Replay
2018: Galway 0-18 Kilkenny 0-18 (Leinster final) Draw
PREVIOUS LEINSTER FINAL MEETINGS
*This will be the eighth Leinster final between the counties. It’s 4-2 to Kilkenny with one draw from the previous seven, 2020: Kilkenny 2-20 Galway 0-24 2018: Galway 1-28 Kilkenny 3-15 (Replay) 2018: Galway 0-18 Kilkenny 0-18 (Draw) 2016: Kilkenny 1-26 Galway 0-22 2015: Kilkenny 1-25 Galway 2-15 2012: Galway 2-21 Kilkenny 2-11 2010: Kilkenny 1-19 Galway 1-12 *Galway beat Kilkenny by a point in this year’s ‘round robin’ clash in Pearse Stadium.
*This will be the 49th championship meeting between Galway and Kilkenny. The Cats lead 32-13 with three draws from the previous 48 clashes.
*Henry Shefflin is the ninth Galway manager who has pitted his wits against Brian Cody in the championship. The others are Mattie Murphy, Noel Lane, Conor Hayes, Ger Loughnane, John McIntyre, Anthony Cunningham and Micheal Donoghue, Shane O’Neill.
*Brian Cody has managed Kilkenny 22 times against Galway in the championship since taking over for the start of the 1999 season, winning twelve (2000-2004-2006-2007-2009-2010-2012-2014-2015 (twice)-2016-2020), drawing three (2012-2014-2018) and losing seven (2001-2005-2012-2018 (twice) 2019-2022.
*Henry Shefflin played against Galway thirteen times in the championship (two as a sub in 2014). He was on the winning side eight times, lost three and drew two.
*Leinster titles: Kilkenny 73 Galway 3
*Galway have played in nine finals since joining the Leinster championship in 2009, winning three, drawing one and losing five. Their wins were against Kilkenny in 2012 and 2018 and Wexford 2017. The draw was in 2018 against Kilkenny who beat them in 2010- 15-16-20. Dublin beat them in the 2013 final.
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CLARE v LIMERICK
They meet in the Munster final for the first time since 1995 when Clare won. Limerick are bidding to win the title for the 23rd time; Clare are seeking their seventh success.
HOW THEY REACHED THE FINAL - CLARE
Clare 3-21 Tipperary 2-16
Clare 0-28 Cork 2-20
Clare 0-24 Limerick 1-21
Clare 3-31 Waterford 2-22
Played 4, Won 3, Drew 1
Top Scorers - CLARE
Tony Kelly............1-33 (0-19 frees),
Peter Duggan.......1-13 (0-3 frees, 0-2 ‘65s’, 0-1 s/l)
David Fitzgerald....2-9
Shane O’Donnell......0-9
Ryan Taylor................0-9
HOW THEY REACHED THE FINAL - LIMERICK
Limerick 2-25 Cork 1-17
Limerick 0-30 Waterford 2-21
Limerick 3-21Tipperary 0-23
Clare 0-24 Limerick 1-21
Played 4, Won 3, Drew 1.
Top Scorers - LIMERICK
Aaron Gillane........3-22 (0-13 frees)
Diarmaid Byrnes....0-24 (0-17 frees, 0-2 ‘65s’)
Gearoid Hegarty....0-10
Tom Morrissey..........0-8 (0-4 frees)
David Reidy..............0-7
Cathal O’Neill.............0-7
LAST FIVE MUNSTER FINAL MEETINGS
1995: Clare 1-17 Limerick 0-11
1994: Limerick 0-25 Clare 2-10
1981: Limerick 3-12 Clare 2-9
1974: Limerick 6-14 Clare 3-9
1955: Limerick 2-16 Clare 2-6
*Limerick are bidding to win the Munster title for a fourth successive year, something they last achieved in 1933-36. Cork (1982-85) were the last to win the Munster four-in-a-row. They added a fifth in 1986.
*Clare last won the Munster title in 1998.
*This will be the 60th championship game between the counties. Limerick won 37 to Clare’s 20 with two draws, from the previous 59.
*The sides met in this year’s Allianz League when it finished level (0- 18 each) in Ennis in early March.
*Clare manager, Brian Lohan was one of the stars in their last Munster final win over Limerick in 1995 when they took the title for the first time in 63 years.
*John Kiely is in his sixth season as Limerick manager. Their championship record in that period reads: Played 28; Won 21, Drew 2, Lost 5.
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ANTRIM v KERRY
They meet in the Joe McDonagh Cup for the second time in three seasons, with Antrim having won in 2020 (0-22 to 1-17). Kerry also lost last year’s final to Westmeath (2-28 to 1-24).
HOW THEY REACHED THE FINAL - ANTRIM
Antrim 3-22 Offaly 2-24
Antrim 6-22 Down 3-16
Antrim 2-22 Carlow 1-22
Antrim 7-29 Meath 3-14
Kerry 0-29 Antrim 2-21
Top Scorers - ANTRIM
Conal Cunning.................1-31 (0-25 frees, 0-1 ‘65’)
Conor Johnson...................3-4
Ciarán Clarke...................2-6 (1-0 pen)
Seán Elliot.........................2-5 (0-1 s/l)
HOW THEY REACHED THE FINAL - KERRY
Down 1-19 Kerry 0-18
Kerry 3-21 Carlow 0-15
Kerry 6-25 Meath 0-13
Offaly 4-23 Kerry 2-28
Kerry 0-29 Antrim 2-21
Top Scorers - KERRY
Pádraig Boyle...............1-53(0-41 frees, 0-5 ‘65s’)
Shane Conway............-3-22(0-12 frees, 0-1 s/l)
Maurice O’Connor........4-0
Fionán Mackessy...........0-12
*Antrim lost one game (to Kerry) in the ‘round robin’ - they had already quailed for the final by then.
*Kerry lost two games (to Down and Offaly) but clinched a place in the final on scoring difference after finishing on six points alongside Carlow and Offaly.
*The winners will play Cork in the All-Ireland preliminary quarterfinal; the losers will play Wexford.
*Antrim are guaranteed a place in the Leinster championship next year if they win on Saturday. If Kerry win, they will face a play-off with Tipperary to decide who plays in the Munster championship
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GAA HURLING ALL-IRELAND SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIP
2022 LEINSTER
Round 1: Wexford 1-19 Galway 1-19; Kilkenny 5-23 Westmeath 1-19; Dublin 1-20 Laois 2-15.
Round 2: Galway 3-36 Westmeath 1-17; Kilkenny 2-34 Laois 1-14; Dublin 0-24 Wexford 0-23.
Round 3: Wexford 6-21 Laois 0-12; Galway 1-24 Kilkenny 3-17; Dublin 0-27 Westmeath 1-16
Round 4: Kilkenny 3-25 Dublin 0-17; Galway 2-37 Laois 0-21; Westmeath 2-15 Wexford 0-21.
Round 5: Wexford 1-22 Kilkenny 1-18; Galway 0-27 Dublin 0-21; Westmeath 5-24 Laois 1-18.
Final: June 4: Galway v Kilkenny
MUNSTER
Round 1: April 17: Waterford 2-24 Tipperary 2-20; Limerick 2-25 Cork 1-17.
Round 2: Limerick 0-30 Waterford 2-21; Clare 3-21 Tipperary 2-16
Round 3: Clare 0-28 Cork 2-20; Limerick 3-21Tipperary 0-23.
Round 4: Clare 0-24 Limerick 1-21; Cork 2-22 Waterford 1-19
Round 5: Clare 3-31 Waterford 2-22; Cork 3-30 Tipperary 1-24
Final: June 5: Clare v Limerick
JOE McDONAGH CUP
Round 1: Antrim 3-22 Offaly 2-24; Down 1-19 Kerry 0-18; Carlow 4- 30 Meath 0-17.
Round 2: Kerry 3-21 Carlow 0-15; Offaly 2-22 Meath 0-19; Antrim 6- 22 Down 3-16.
Round 3: Kerry 6-25 Meath 0-13; Antrim 2-22 Carlow 1-22; Offaly 1- 26 Down 2-18
Round 4: Carlow 2-25 Down 1-19; Offaly 4-23 Kerry 2-28 Antrim 7-29 Meath 3-14.
Round 5: Kerry 0-29 Antrim 2-21; Carlow 0-22 Offaly 0-17; Down 2- 28 Meath 2-19.
June 4: Final: Antrim v Kerry
ALL-IRELAND CHAMPIONSHIPS
June 11/12: Preliminary quarter-finals: Joe McDonagh Cup winners (Antrim or Kerry) v Cork; Joe McDonagh Cup runners-up (Antrim or Kerry) v Wexford
June 18: Quarter-finals: Losers of Leinster and Munster finals v preliminary quarter-final winners.
July 2/3: Semi-finals
July 17: Final
